1^-^  4 


LIBRARY 

OP   THE 

Theological    Seminary, 

PRINCETON,    N.  J.    - 
Case,    ciZ:?  V^^-rOivisio n . , . 


Shelf,     f  (J    /  ^"-^e-GtioP, 
BooJc, ^ i    ^'^  No.... 


THE 

LIFE 

OF 

SAMUEL  JOHNSON,  LL.  D. 

COMPREHENDING 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  STUDIES, 

AND 

NUMEROUS  WORKS,  IN  CHRONOLOGICAL  ORDER; 

A  SERIES  OF  HIS 

EPISTOLARY  CORRESPONDENCE 

AND 

CONVERSATIONS  WITH  MANY  EMINENT  PERSONS  ; 
AND  VARIOUS  ORIGINAL  PIECES  OF  HIS  COMPOSITION, 

NEl'ER  BEPORM  PUBLISHED  : 

THE     WHOLE     EXHIBITING     A     VIEW     OF     LITERATURE     AND 

LITERARY  MEN  IN  GREAT-BRITAIN,    FOR  NEAR  HALF  A 

CENTURY  DURING  WHICH  HE  FLOURISHED. 

BY  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 

Quo  Jit  ut   OMNIS 

yotiva  pateat  •veluti  descripta  tabella 
Vita  senis Horat. 

FIRST  AMERICAN  FROM  THE  FIFTH  LONDON  EDITION, 
IN  THREE  VOLUMES. 

VOL.   II. 


BOSTON : 
PUBLISHED  BY  AV.  ANDREWS  AND  L.  BLAKE. 


OtLHEHOUGll  AND  STBBBINS,  PRWTERS. 

1807- 


THE 


LIFE 


OF 


SAMUEL  JOHNSON,  LL.  D. 


IN  1779  Dr.  Johnson  was  altogether  quiescent 
as  an  authour  ;  but  it  will  be  found,  from  the  various 
evidences  which  I  shall  bring  together,  that  his  mind 
was  acute,  lively  and  vigorous. 

"  TO  SIR  JOSHUA  REYNOLDS. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  Be  pleased  to  send  to  Mr.  Banks,  whose  place 
of  residence  I  do  not  know,   this  note,  which  1  have 
sent  open,  that,  if  you  please,  you  may  read  it. 
"  When  you  send  it,  do  not  use  your  own  seal. 
"  I  am.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
'^  Feb.  27,  1772.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  TO  JOSEPH  BANKS,  ESQ. 

"  Perpcfua  amhitd  bis  terra  prcemia  lactis 
"  Hcec  habet  altrici  Capra  secunda  Jovis."'^ 

"  SIR, 

"  I  RETURN  thanks  to  you  and  to  Dr.  Solander  for 
the  pleasure  which  I  received  in  yesterday's  conversa- 
tion.    I  could  not  recollect  a  motto  for  your  Goat,  but 

♦  Thus  translated  by  a  friend  : 

"  In  fame  scarce  second  to  the  nurse  of  Jove, 

"  This  Goat,  who  twice  the  world  had  traversed  round, 

"  Deserving  both  her  master's  care  and  love, 
'^  Basp  and  perpetual  pasture  now  has  found." 


4-  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  have  given  her  one.     You,  Sir,  may  perhaps  have  an 
^^  epick  poem  from  some  happier  pen  than,  Sir, 
63. '  "  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Sam.  Johnson." 
"  Johnson' S'Court^  Fleet-street^  Februanj  27,  1772." 

"  to   dr.  JOHNSON. 
^'  MY  DEAR  SIR, 

"  It  is  hard  that  I  cannot  prevail  on  you  to  write 
to  me  oftener.  But  I  am  convinced  that  it  is  in  vain 
to  expect  from  you  a  private  correspondence  with  any 
regularity,  1  must,  therefore,  look  upon  you  as  a  foun- 
tain of  wisdom,  from  whence  few  rills  are  communicated 
to  a  distance,  and  which  must  be  approached  at  its 
source,  to  partake  fully  of  its  virtues. 

^        TV        ^        ^        ^        TV 

'•'  I  am  coming  to  London  soon,  and  am  to  appear  in 
an  appeal  from  the  Court  of  Session  in  the  House  of 
Lords.  K  schoolmaster  in  Scotland  was,  by  a  court  of 
inferior  jurisdiction,  deprived  of  his  office,  for  being 
somewhat  severe  in  the  chastisement  of  his  scholars. 
The  court  of  Session  considering  it  to  be  dangerous  to 
the  interest  of  learning  and  education,  to  lessen  the  dig- 
nity of  teachers,  and  make  them  afraid  of  too  indulgent 
parents,  instigated  by  the  complaints  of  their  children, 
restored  him.  His  enemies  have  appealed  to  the 
House  of  Lords,  though  the  salary  is  only  twenty  pounds 
a  year.  I  was  Counsel  for  him  here.  I  hope  there 
will  be  little  fear  of  a  reversal ;  but  I  must  beg  to  have 
your  aid  in  my  plan  of  supporting  the  decree.     It  is  a 

general  question,  and  not  a  point  of  particular  law. 

****** 

"  I  am,  &c. 

•*  James  Boswell," 

"  to  james  boswell,  esq. 

*'  DEAR  SIR, 

"  That  you  are  coming  so  soon  to  town  I  am  very 
glad  ;  and  still  more  glad  that  you  are  coming  as  an  ad- 
vocate-   I  think  nothing  more  likely  to  make  your  life 


DR.    JOHNSON.  O 

pass  happily  away,  than  that  consciousness  of  your  own  i772. 
value,  which  eminence  in  your  profession  will  certainly  yj/tat. 
confer.     If  I  can  give  you  any  collateral  help,   1  hope   03 . 
you  do  not  suspect  that  it  will  be  wanting.     My  kind- 
ness for  you  has  neither  the  merit  of  singular  virtue, 
nor  the  reproach   of  singular  prejudice.     Whether  to 
love  you  be  right  or  wrong,  1  have  many  on  my  side  : 
Mrs.  Thraie  loves  you,  and  Mrs.  Williams  loves  you, 
and  what  would  have  inclined  me  to  love  you,  if  I  had 
been   neutral   before,  you  are  a  great  favourite  of  Dr. 
Beattie. 

"  Of  Dr.  Beattie  I  should  have  thought  much,  but 
that  his  lady  puts  him  out  of  my  head  ;  she  is  a  very 
lovely  woman. 

"  The  ejection  which  you  come  hither  to  oppose, 
appears  very  cruel,  unreasonable,  and  oppressive.  I 
should  think  there  could  not  be  much  doubt  of  your 
success. 

"  My  health  grows  better,  yet  I  am  not  fully  recov- 
ered. 1  believe  it  is  held,  that  men  do  not  recover  very 
fast  after  threescore.  1  hope  yet  to  see  Beattie's  Col- 
lege :  and  have  not  given  up  the  western  voyage.  But 
however  all  this  may  be  or  not,  let  us  try  to  make  each 
other  happy  when  we  meet,  and  not  refer  our  pleasure 
to  distant  times  or  distant  places. 

"  How  comes  it  that  you  tell  me  nothing  of  your  la- 
dy I  I  hope  to  see  her  some  time,  and  till  then  shall  be 
glad  to  hear  of  her. 

"  I  am,  dear  Sir,  &c. 
''March  15,  1772.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  TO  BENNET   LANGTON,   ESQ.    NEAR   SPILSBY,   LIN- 
COLNSHIRE. 

■'  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  CONGRATULATE  you  and  Lady  Rothes*  on 
your  little  man,  and  hope  you  will  all  be  many  years 
happy  together. 

•  [Mr.  Langton  married,  May  24, 1770,  Jane,  the  daughter  of  — —  Lloyd,  Esq., 
and  widow  of  John  Earl  of  Rothes,  many  years  Commander  in  Chief  of  the  For- 
ces is  Ireland,  who  died  in  1767.     M.] 


THE    LIFE    OF 


1772.      ^«  Poor  Miss  Langton  can  have  little  part  in  the  joy 
^^  of  her  family.     She  this  day  called  her  aunt  Langton 
63.  '  to  receive  the  sacrament  with  her ;  and  made  me  talk 
yesterday  on  such  subjects  as  suit  her  condition.     It 
will  probably  be  her  viaticum.     I  surely  need  not  men- 
tion again  that  she  wishes  to  see  her  mother.    I  am,  Sir, 
"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  March  14,  1772.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

On  the  21st  of  March,  I  was  happy  to  find  myself 
again  in  my  friend's  study,  and  was  glad  to  see  my  old 
acquaintance,  Mr.  Francis  Barber,  who  was  now  re- 
turned home.  Dr.  Johnson  received  me  with  a  hearty 
welcome  ;  saying,  "  1  am  glad  you  are  come,  and  glad 
you  are  come  upon  such  an  errand  :"  (alluding  to  the 
cause  of  the  schoolmaster.)  Boswell.  "  1  hope.  Sir, 
he  will  be  in  no  danger.  It  is  a  very  delicate  matter 
to  interfere  between  a  master  and  his  scholars :  nor  do 
I  see  how  you  can  fix  the  degree  of  severity  that  a  mas- 
ter may  use."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  till  you  can 
fix  the  degree  of  obstinacy  and  negligence  of  the  schol- 
ars, you  cannot  fix  the  degree  of  severity  of  the  master. 
Severity  must  be  continued  until  obstinacy  be  subdued, 
and  negligence  be  cured."  He  mentioned  the  severity 
of  Hunter,  his  own  master.  "  Sir,  (said  I,)  Hunter  is 
a  Scotch  name  :  so  it  should  seem  this  schoolmaster 
who  beat  you  so  severely,  was  a  Scotchman.  I  can 
now  account  for  your  prejudice  against  the  Scotch." 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  he  was  not  Scotch  ;  and,  abating  his 
brutality,  he  was  a  very  good  master." 

We  talked  of  his  two  political  pamphlets,  "  The  False 
Alarm,"  and  "Thoughts  concerning  Falkland's  Islands.'* 
Johnson.  "  Well,  Sir,  which  of  them  did  you  think 
the  best?"  Bos  WELL.  "  I  liked  the  second  best." 
Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  I  liked  the  first  best ;  and  Beat- 
tie  liked  the  first  best.  Sir,  there  is  a  subtlety  of 
disquisition  in  the  first,  that  is  worth  all  the  fire  of  the 
, second."  Boswell.  "  Pray,  Sir,  is  it  true  that  Lord 
North  paid  you  a  visit,  and  that  you  got  two  hundred 
a  year  in  addition  to  your  pension  ?"  Johnson.  "  No, 
Sir.     Except  what  1  had  from  the  bookseller,  I  did  not 


DR.   JOHNSON.  7 

get  a  farthing  by  them.     And,  between  you  and  me,  '772. 
1  believe  Lord  North  is  no  friend   to  me."     Boswell.  JJ^ 
"  How  so,  Sir?"     Johnson.    "  Why,  Sir,  you  cannot  03. 
account  for  the  fancies  of  men. — Well,  how  does  l^ord 
Eiihank  ?  and  how  does  Lord  Monboddo  !"    Boswell. 
"  \  ery  well,  Sir.     Lord   Monboddo  still  maintains  the 
superiority  of  the  savage   life."      Johnson.    "  What 
strange  narrowness  of  mind  now  is  that,  to  think  the 
things  we  have  not  known,  are  better  than  the  things 
which  we  have  known."     Boswell.    "  Why,  Sir,  that 
is  a  common  prejudice."     Johnson.    "  Yes,  Sir,  but  a 
common  prejudice  should  not  be  found  in  one  whose 
trade  it  is  to  rectify  errour." 

A  gentleman  having  come  in  who  was  to  go  as  a 
Mate  in  the  ship  along  with  Mr.  Banks  and  Dr.  Solan- 
der.  Dr.  Johnson  asked  what  were  the  names  of  the 
ships  destined  for  the  expedition.  The  gentleman  an- 
swered, they  were  once  to  be  called  the  Drake  and  the 
Ralegh,  but  now  they  were  to  be  called  the  Resolution 
and  the  Adventure.  Johnson.  "  Much  better ;  for  had 
the  Ralegh  returned  without  going  round  the  world, 
it  would  have  been  ridiculous.  To  give  them  the 
names  of  the  Drake  and  the  Ralegh  was  laying  a  trap 
for  satire."  Boswell.  "  Had  not  you  some  desire  to 
go  upon  this  expedition,  Sir!"  Johnson.  "  Why  yes, 
but  1  soon  laid  it  aside.  Sir,  there  is  very  little  of  in- 
tellectual, in  the  course.  Besides,  I  see  but  at  a  small 
distance.  So  it  was  not  worth  my  while  to  go  to  see 
birds  fly,  which  I  should  not  have  seen  fly  ;  and  fishes 
swim,  which  I  should  not  have  seen  swim." 

The  gentleman  being  gone,  and  Dr.  Johnson  having 
left  the  roonn^for  some  time,  a  debate  arose  between  the 
Reverend  Mr.  Stockdale  and  Mrs.  Desmoulins,  whether 
Mr.  Banks  and  Dr.  Solander  were  entitled  to  any  share 
of  glory  from  their  expedition.  When  Dv.  Johnson  re- 
turned to  us,  1  told  him  the  subject  of  their  dispute. 
Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  it  was  properly  for  botany  that 
they  went  out :  1  believe  they  thought  only  of  culling  of 
simples  " 

I  thanked  him  for  showing  civilities  to  Beattie.  "  Sir. 
(said  he,)  I  should  thank  f/on.     We  all  love   Beattie. 


8  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  Mrs.  Thrale  says,  if  ever  she  has  another  husband,  she'il 
^J^  have  Beattie.  He  sunk  upon  us^  that  he  was  married  ; 
63.  else  we  should  have  shown  his  lady  more  civilities. 
She  is  a  very  fine  woman.  But  how  can  you  show  ci- 
vilities to  a  non-entity  l  I  did  not  think  he  had  been 
married.  Nay,  I  did  not  think  about  it  one  way  or 
other ;  but  he  did  not  tell  us  of  his  lady  till  late." 

He  then  spoke  of  St.  Kilda,  the  most  remote  of  the 
Hebrides.  I  told  him  I  thought  of  buying  it.  John- 
son. "  Pray  do.  Sir.  We  will  go  and  pass  a  winter 
amid  the  blasts  there.  We  shall  have  fine  fish,  and  we 
will  take  some  dried  tongues  with  us,  and  some  books. 
We  will  have  a  strong  built  vessel,  and  some  Orkney 
men  to  navigate  her.  We  must  build  a  tolerable  house  : 
but  we  may  carry  with  us  a  wooden  house  ready  made, 
and  requiring  nothing  but  to  be  put  up.  Consider,  Sir, 
by  buying  St.  Kilda,  you  may  keep  the  people  from 
falling  into  worse  hands.  We  must  give  them  a  cler- 
gyman, and  he  shall  be  one  of  Beattie's  choosing.  He 
shall  be  educated  at  Marischal  College.  Fll  be  your 
Lord  Chancellor,  or  what  you  please."  Boswell. 
"  Are  you  serious,  Sir,  in  advising  me  to  buy  St.  Kii- 


'  "  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 

"^  MY  DEAR  SIR,  "  Edinburgh,  May  3,  1792. 

•"  As  I  suppose  your  great  work  will  soon  be  reprinted,  I  beg  leave  to  trou- 
ble you  with  a  remark  on  a  passage  of  it,  in  which  I  am  a  little  misrepresented. 
Be  not  alarmed  ;  the  misrepresentation  is  not  imputable  to  you.  Not  having  the 
book  at  hand,  I  cannot  specify  the  page,  but  I  suppose  you  will  easily  find  it.  Dr. 
Johnson  says,  speaking  of  Mrs.  Thrale's  family,  "  Dr.  Beattie  sunk  upon  us  that  he 
was  married,  or  words  to  that  purpose."  I  am  not  sure  tiiat  1  understand  sunk  up- 
on us,  which  is  a  very  uncommon  phrase  :  but  it  seems  to  me  to  imply,  (and  otiiers, 
1  find,  have  understood  it  in  the  same  sense,)  studiously  concealed  from  us  his  beh-g  mar- 
ried.  Now,  Sir,  this  was  by  no  means  the  case.  I  could  have  no  motive  to  con- 
ceal a  circumstance  of  which  I  never  was  nor  caxi  be  ashamed  ;  and  of  which  Dr. 
Johnson  seemed  to  think,  when  he  afterwards  became  acquai^|ed  with  Mrs.  Beat- 
tie,  that  1  had,  as  was  true,  reason  to  be  proud.  So  tar  wui  1  from  concealing  her, 
that  my  wife  had  at  that  time  almost  as  numerous  an  acquaintance  in  London  as  I 
had  myself ;  and  was,  not  very  long  after,  kindly  invited  and  elegantly  entertained 
at  Streatham  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale. 

"  My  request,  therefore  is,  that  you  would  rectify  this  matter  in  your  new  edi- 
tion.    You  are  at  liberty  to  make  what  use  you  please  of  this  letter. 

"  My  best  wishes  ever  attend  you  and  your  family.  Believe  me  to  be,  with  the 
Utmost  regard  and  esteem,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  obliged  and  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  J.  Beattie." 

I  have,  from  my  respect  for  my  friend  Dr.  Beattie,  and  rej^ard  to  his  extreme 
sensibility,  inserted  the  foregoing  letter,  though  I  cannot  but  wonder  at  his  consid- 
ering as  any  imputation  a  phrase  commonly  used  among  the  best  ffiends. 


/ 


DR.   JOHNSON.  i 

da!  for  if  you  should  advise  me  to  go  to  Japan,  I  be-  1772. 
lieve  I  should  do  it."     Johnson.     "  Why  yes,   Sir,   1  ^J^ 
am  serious."     Boswell.  "  Why  then  Pll  see  what  can   63. 
be  done." 

I  gave  him  an  account  of  the  two  parties  in  the 
churcli  of  Scotland,  those  for  supporting  the  rights  of 
patrons,  independent  of  the  people,  and  those  against  it. 
Johnson.  "  It  should  be  settled  one  way  or  other.  I 
cannot  wish  well  to  a  popular  election  of  the  clergy, 
when  1  consider  that  it  occasions  such  animosities, 
such  unworthy  courting  of  the  people,  such  slanders 
between  the  contending  parties,  and  other  disadvan- 
tages. It  is  enough  to  allow  the  people  to  remonstrate 
against  the  nomination  of  a  minister  for  solid  reasons.^' 
(I  suppose  he  meant  heresy  or  immorality.) 

He  was  engaged  to  dine  abroad,  and  asked  me  to 
return  to  him  in  the  evening,  at  nine,  which  I  accord- 
ingly did. 

We  drank  tea  with  Mrs.  Williams,  who  told  us  a 
story  of  second  sight,  which  happened  in  Wales  where 
she  was  born. — He  listened  to  it  very  attentively,  and 
said  he  should  be  glad  to  have  some  instances  of  thai, 
faculty  well  authenticated.  His  elevated  wish  for 
more  and  more  evidence  for  spirit,  in  opposition  to  the 
groveling  belief  of  materialism,  led  him  to  a  love  of  such 
mysterious  disquisitions.  He  again  justly  observed, 
that  we  could  have  no  certainty  of  the  truth  of  super- 
natural appearances,  unless  something  was  told  us 
which  we  could  not  know  by  ordinary  means,  or  some- 
thing done  which  could  not  be  done  but  by  supernatu- 
ral power  ;  that  Pharaoh  in  reason  and  justice  required 
such  evidence  from  Moses  ;  nay,  that  our  Saviour  said, 
"  If  I  had  not  done  amoni?  them  the  works  which  none 
other  man  did,  they  had  not  had  sin."  He  had  said  in 
in  the  morning,  that  "  Macaulay^s  History  of  St.  Kilda" 
was  very  well  written,  except  some  foppery  about  lib- 
erty and  slavery.  I  mentioned  to  him  that  Macaulay 
told  me,  he  was  advised  to  leave  out  of  his  book  the 
wonderful  story  that  upon  the  approach  of  a  stranger 
all  the  inhabitants  catch  cold  :^   but  that  it  had  been  so 

'  See  Vol.  I.  p.  42S. 
VOL.  II.  2 


10  '  THE    UFE    OF 

1772.  well  authenticated,  be  determined  to  retain  it.     John-^ 

^^  SON.  "  Sir,  to  leave  things  out  of  a  book,  merely  be- 

63.  *  cause   people  tell  you  they   will   not  be  believed,  is 

meanness.     Macaulay  acted  with  more  magnanimity." 

We  talked  of  the  Roman  Cathohck  religion,  and  how 

little  difference  there  was  in  essential  matters  between 

ours  and  it.     Johnson.  "True, Sir;  all  denominations 

of  Christians  have  really  little  difference  in  point   of 

doctrine,  though   they  may   differ  widely  in  external 

forms.     There  is  a  prodigious  difference  between  the 

external  form  of  one  of  your  Presbyterian  churches  in 

"^   ,     Scotland,  and  a  church  in  Italy  ;  yet  the  doctrine  taught 

/     is  essentially  the  same." 

I  mentioned  the  petition  to  Parliament  for  removing 
the  subscription  to  the  Thirty-nine  Articles.  Johnson. 
"  It  was  soon  thrown  out.  Sir,  they  talk  of  not  making 
boys  at  the  University  subscribe  to  what  they  do  not 
understand ;  but  they  ought  to  consider,  that  our  Uni- 
versities were  founded  to  bring  up  members  for  the 
church  of  England,  and  we  must  not  supply  our  ene- 
mies with  arms  from  our  arsenal.  No,  Sir,  the  meaning 
of  subscribing  is,  not  that  they  fully  understand  all  the 
articles,  but  that  they  will  adhere  to  the  Church  of 
England.  Now  take  it  in  this  way,  and  suppose  that 
they  should  only  subscribe  their  adherence  to  the 
Church  of  England,  there  would  be  still  the  same  dif- 
ficulty ;  for  still  the  young  men  would  be  subscribing 
to  what  they  do  not  understand.  For  if  you  should 
ask  them,  what  do  you  mean  by  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land ?  Do  you  know  in  what  it  differs  from  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  l  from  the  Romish  Church  ?  from  the 
Greek  Church  ]  from  the  Coptick  Church  ?  they  could 
not  tell  you.  So,  Sir,  it  comes  to  the  same  thing." 
BoswELL.  "  But,  would  it  not  be  sufficient  to  sub- 
scribe the  Bible  ?"  Johnson.  "Why  no.  Sir;  for  all 
sects  will  subscribe  the  Bible  ;  nay,  the  Mahometans 
will  subscribe  the  Bible  ;  for  the  Mahometans  acknowl- 
edge Jesus  Christ,  as  well  as  Moses,  but  maintain  that 
God  sent  Mahomet  as  a  still  greater  prophet  than  either. 
I  mentioned  the  motion  which  had  been  made  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  to  abolish  the  fast  of  the  30th  of 


■fJP^  DR.    JOHNSON.  ^HH^  II 

January.     Johnson.  "  W  hy,  Sir,  1  could  have  wished  'TTS. 
that  it  had  been  a  temporary  act,  perhaps,  to  have  ex-  ^^ 
pired  witli  the  century.     1  am  against  ahohshiu^^  it  ;   63. 
because  that  would  be  declaring  it  wrong  to  establish 
it  ;  but  1  should  have  no  objection   to  make  an  act, 
continuing  it  for  another  century,  and  then  letting  it 
expire." 

He  disapproved  of  the  Royal  Marriage  Bill  ;  "  Be- 
cause (said  he)  1  would  not  have  the  people  think  that 
the  validity  of  marriage  depends  on  the  will  of  man,  or 
that  the  right  of  a  King  depends  on  the  will  of  man.  I 
should  not  have  been  against  making  the  marriage  of 
any  of  the  royal  family  without  the  approbation  of 
King  and  Parliament,  highly  criminal." 

In  the  morning  we  had  talked  of  old  families,  and 
the  respect  due  to  them.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  you  have  a 
right  to  that  kind  of  respect,  and  are  arguing  for  your- 
self. I  am  for  supporting  the  principle,  and  am  disin- 
terested in  doing  it,  as  l  have  no  such  right."  Bos- 
well.  "  Why,  Sir,  it  is  one  more  incitement  to  a  man 
to  do  well."  Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir,  and  it  is  a  matter 
of  opinion,  very  necessary  to  keep  society  together. 
What  is  it  but  opinion,  by  which  we  have  a  respect  for 
authority,  that  prevents  us,  who  are  the  rabble,  from 
rising  up  and  pulling  down  you  who  are  gentlemen 
from  your  places,  and  saying  '  We  will  be  gentlemen  in 
our  turn  V  Now,  Sir,  that  respect  for  authority  is  much 
more  easily  granted  to  a  man  whose  father  has  had  it, 
than  to  an  upstart,  and  so  Society  is  more  easily  sup- 
ported." Bos  WELL.  "  Perhaps,  Sir,  it  might  be  done 
by  the  respect  belonging  to  office,  as  among  the  Ro- 
mans, wheie  the  dress,  the  foga^  inspired  reverence." 
Johnson.  "  Why,  we  know  very  little  about  the  Ro- 
mans. But,  surely,  it  is  much  easier  to  respect  a  man 
who  has  always  had  respect,  than  to  respect  a  man  who 
we  know  was  last  year  no  better  than  ourselves,  and 
will  be  no  better  next  year.  In  republicks  there  is  no 
respect  for  authority,  but  a  fear  of  power."  Boswell. 
"  At  present,  Sir,  1  think  riches  seem  to  gain  most  re- 
spect." Johnson.  "  No,  Sir,  riches  do  not  gain  hearty 
respect ;  they  only  procure  external  attention.     A  very 


12  THE    LIFE   01- 

1772.  rich  man,  from  low  beginnings,  may  buy  his  election 
^^  in  a  borough  ;  but  cceteris  paribus^  a  man  of  family  will 

63.  be  preferred.  People  will  prefer  a  man  for  whose  fa- 
ther their  fathers  have  voted,  though  they  should  get  no 
more  money,  or  even  less.  That  shows  that  the  re- 
spect for  family  is  not  merely  fanciful,  but  has  an  actu- 
al operation.  If  gentlemen  of  family  would  allow  the 
rich  upstarts  to  spend  their  money  profusely,  which 
they  are  ready  enough  to  do,  and  not  vie  with  them  in 
expence,  the  upstarts  would  soon  be  at  an  end,  and  the 
gentlemen  would  remain  ;  but  if  the  gentlemen  will  vie 
in  expence  with  the  upstarts,  which  is  very  foolish,  they 
must  be  ruined." 

I  gave  him  an  account  of  the  excellent  mimickry  of 

a  friend  of  mine  in  Scotland  ;    observing,  at  the  same 

time,  that  some  people  thought  it  a  very  mean  thing. 

Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  it  is  making  a  very  mean  use  of 

^        man's  powers.     But  to  be  a  good  mimick,  requires 

)  great  powers  ;  great  acuteness  of  observation,  great  re- 
tention of  what  is  observed,  and  great  pliancy  of  organs, 
to  represent  what  is  observed.     1  remember  a  lady  of 

quality  in  this  town.  Lady ,  who  was  a 

wonderful  mimick,  and  used  to  make  me  laugh  immod- 
erately. I  have  heard  she  is  now  gone  mad.''  Bos- 
well.  "  It  is  amazing  how  a  mimick  can  not  only  give 
you  the  gestures  and  voice  of  a  person  whom  he  repre- 
sents ;  but  even  what  a  person  would  say  on  any  partic- 
ular subject."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  you  are  to  con- 
sider that  the  manner  and  some  particular  phrases  of  a 
person  do  much  to  impress  you  with  an  idea  of  him, 
and  you  are  not  sure  that  he  would  say  what  the  mim- 
ick says  in  his  character."  Boswell.  "  I  don't  think 
Foote  a  good  mimick.  Sir."  Johnson.  "No,  Sir;  his 
imitations  are  not  like.  He  gives  you  something  differ- 
ent from  himself,  but  not  the  character  which  he  means 
to  assume.  He  goes  out  of  himself,  without  going  into 
other  people.  He  cannot  take  off  any  person  unless  he 
is  strongly  marked,  such  as  George  Faulkner.  He  is  like 
a  painter  who  can  draw  the  portrait  of  a  man  who  has  a 
wen  upon  his  face,  and  who  therefore  is  easily  known. 
If  a  man  hops  upon  one  leg,  Foote  can  hop  upon  one 


DR.   JOHNSON.  13 

leg.     But  he  has  not  that  nice  discrimination  which  1772. 
your  friend  seems  to  possess.     Foote  is,  however,  very  ^tat! 
entertaining  with  a  kind  of  conversation  between  wit   63. 
and  buHbonery." 

On  Monday,  March  2J,  I  found  him  busy,  preparing 
a  fourth  edition  of  his  foho  Dictionary.  Mr.  Peyton, 
one  of  his  original  amanuenses,  was  writing  for  him.  I 
put  him  in  mind  of  a  meaning  of  the  word  side^  which 
he  had  omitted,  viz.  relationship  ;  as  father's  side,  mo- 
ther's side.  He  inserted  it.  I  asked  him  if  humiliating 
was  a  good  word.  He  said,  he  had  seen  it  frequently 
used,  but  he  did  not  know  it  to  be  legitimate  English. 
He  would  not  admit  civilization^  but  only  civility.  With 
great  deference  to  him  1  thought  civilization^  from  to 
civilize^  better  in  the  sense  opposed  to  barbaritif,  than 
civility ;  as  it  is  better  to  have  a  distinct  word  for  each 
sense,  than  one  word  with  two  senses,  which  civility  is, 
in  his  way  of  usinsr  it. 

Pie  seemed  also  to  be  intent  on  some  sort  of  chymical 
operation.  I  was  entertained  by  observing  how  he 
contrived  to  send  Mr.  Peyton  on  an  errand,  without 
seeming  to  degrade  him,  "  Mr.  Peyton, — Mr.  Peyton, 
will  you  be  so  good  as  to  take  a  walk  to  Temple-Bar  ? 
You  will  there  see  a  chymist's  shop,  at  which  you  will 
be  pleased  to  buy  for  me  an  ounce  of  oil  of  vitriol ;  not 
spirit  of  vitriol,  but  oil  of  vitriol.  It  will  cost  three 
half-pence."  Peyton  immediately  went,  and  returned 
with  it,  and  told  him  it  cost  but  a  penny. 

I  then  reminded  him  of  the  schoolmaster's  cause, 
and  proposed  to  read  to  him  the  printed  papers  con- 
cerning it.  *'  No,  Sir,  (said  he,)  I  can  read  quicker  than 
I  can  hear."     So  he  read  them  to  himself. 

After  he  had  read  for  some  time,  we  were  interrupt- 
ed by  the  entrance  of  Mr.  Kristrom,  a  Swede,  who  was 
tutor  to  some  young  gentlemen  in  the  city.  He  told 
me,  that  there  was  a  very  good  History  of  Sweden,  by 
Dalinc.  Having  at  that  time  an  intention  of  writing 
the  history  of  that  country,  I  asked  Dr.  Johnson  wheth- 
er one  might  write  a  history  of  Sweden,  without 
going  thither.  '-  Yes,  Sir,  (said  he,)  one  for  common 
use." 


r 


14  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  We  talked  of  languages.  Johnson  observed  that 
2J^  Leibnitz  had  made  some  progress  in  a  work,  tracing  all 
63,  *  languages  up  to  the  Hebrew.  ">  Why,  Sir,  (said  he,) 
you  would  not  imagine  that  the  French yo?^r,  day,  is  de- 
rived from  the  Latin  dies,  and  yet  nothing  is  more  cer- 
tain ;  and  the  intermediate  steps  are  very  clear.  From 
c/ies,  comes  diurnus.  Diu  is,  by  inaccurate  ears,  or  in- 
accurate pronunciation,  easily  confounded  with  gui ; 
then  the  Italians  form  a  substantive  of  the  ablative  of 
an  adjective,  and  thence  giurno,  or,  as  they  make  it 
giorno  :  which  is  readily  contracted  mlct  giour,  ox  jour  ^^ 
He  observed,  that  the  Bohemian  language,  was  true 
Sclavonick.  The  Swede  said,  it  had  some  similarity 
with  the  German.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  to  be  sure, 
such  parts  of  Sclavonia  as  confine  with  Germany,  will 
borrow  German  words  ;  and  such  parts  as  confine  with 
Tartary  will  borrow  Tartar  words.^' 

He  said,  he  never  had  it  properly  ascertained  that 
the  Scotch  Highlanders  and  the  Irish  understood  each 
other.  I  told  him  that  my  Cousin  Colonel  Graham,  of 
the  Royal  Highlanders,  whom  1  met  at  Drogheda,  told 
me  they  did.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  if  the  Highlanders  un- 
derstood Irish,  why  translate  the  New  Testament  into 
Erse,  as  was  lately  done  at  Edinburgh,  when  there  is  an 
Irish  translation  ?"  Bosavell.  "  Although  the  Erse  and 
Irish  are  both  dialects  of  the  same  language,  there  may 
be  a  good  deal  of  diversity  between  them,  as  between 
the  different  dialects  in  Italy." — The  Swede  went  away, 
and  Mr.  Johnson  continued  his  reading  of  the  papers. 
I  said,  "  I  am  afraid.  Sir,  it  is  troublesome."  "  Why, 
Sir,  (said  he,)  I  do  not  take  much  delight  in  it ;  but  FU 
go  through  it." 

We  went  to  the  Mitre,  and  dined  in  the  room  where 
he  and  I  first  supped  together.  He  gave  me  great 
hopes  of  my  cause.  "  Sir,  (said  he,)  the  governmeiit 
of  a  schoolmaster  is  somewhat  of  the  nature  of  military 
government  ;  that  is  to  say,  it  must  be  arbitrary,  it  must 
be  exercised  by  the  will  of  one  man,  according  to  par- 
ticular circumstances.  You  must  shew  some  learning 
upon  this  occasion.  You  must  shew,  that  a  schoolmas- 
ter has  a  prescriptive  right  to  beat  ;  and  that  an  action 


DR.    JOHNSON.  \5 

of  assault  and  battery  cannot  be  admitted  against  him,  1772. 
unless  there  is  some  great  excess,  some  barbarity.    This  ^^ 
man  has  maimed  none  of  his  boys.     They  are  all  left  63. 
with  the  full  exercise  of  their  corporeal  faculties.     In 
our  schools  in  Luigland,  many  boys  have  been  maimed  ; 
yet  1  never  heard  of  an  action  against  a  schoolmaster  on 
that  account.     Putiendorff,  1  think,  maintains  the  right 
of  a  schoolmaster  to  beat  his  scholars." 

On  Saturday,  March  27,  I  introduced  to  him  Sir 
Alexander  Macdonald,  with  whom  he  had  expressed 
a  wish  to  be  acquainted.  He  received  him  very  cour- 
teously. 

Sir  Alexander  observed,  that  the  Ch  ancellors  in  Eng- 
land are  chosen  from  views  much  inferiour  to  the  of- 
fice, being  chosen  from  temporary  political  views. 
Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  in  such  a  government  as  ours, 
no  man  is  appointed  to  an  office  because  he  is  the  fit- 
test for  it,  nor  hardly  in  any  other  government ;  because 
there  are  so  many  connections  and  dependencies  to  be 
studied.  A  despotick  prince  may  choose  a  man  to  an 
office,  merely  because  he  is  the  fittest  for  it.  The  King 
of  Prussia  may  do  it."  Sir  A.  "  I  think,  Sir,  almost 
all  great  lawyers,  such  at  least  as  have  written  upon 
law,  have  known  only  law,  and  nothing  else."  John-*- 
soN.  "  Why  no,  Sir  ;  Judge  Hale  was  a  great  lawyer, 
and  wrote  upon  law  ;  and  yet  he  knew  a  great  many 
other  things,  and  has  written  upon  other  things.  Sel- 
den  too."  Sir  A.  "  Very  true,  Sir ;  and  Lord  Bacon. 
But  was  not  Lord  Coke  a  mere  lawyer  ?"  Johnson. 
"  Why,  I  am  afraid  he  was  ;  but  he  would  have  taken 
it  very  ill  if  you  had  told  him  so.  He  would  have 
prosecuted  you  for  scandal."  Boswell.  "  Lord  Mans- 
field is  not  a  mere  lawyer."  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir,  I 
never  was  in  Lord  Mansfield's  company  ;  but  Lord 
Mansfield  was  distinguished  at  the  University.  Lord 
Mansfield,  when  he  first  came  to  town,  '  drank  cham- 
pagne with  the  wits,'  as  Prior  says.  He  was  the  friend 
of  Pope."  Sir  A.  "Barristers,  I  believe,  are  not  so 
abusive  now  as  they  were  formerly.  1  fancy  they  had 
less  law  long  ago,  and  so  were  obliged  to  take  to  abuse, 
to  fill  up  the  time.     Now  they  have  such  a  number  of 


16  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  precedents,  the^  have  no  occasion  for  abuse."  JoHX' 
2gJ^  SON.  "  Nay,  Sir,  they  had  more  law  long  ago  than  they 
()3.  '  have  now.  As  to  precedents,  to  be  sure  they  will  in- 
crease in  course  of  time  ;  but  the  more  precedents  there 
are,  the  less  occasion  is  there  for  law  ;  that  is  to  say, 
the  less  occasion  is  there  for  investigating  principles." 
Sir  a.  "  I  have  been  correcting  several  Scotch  accents 
in  my  friend  Boswell.  I  doubt,  Sir,  if  any  Scotchman 
ever  attains  to  a  perfect  English  pronunciation."  John- 
son. "  Why,  Sir,  few  of  them  do,  because  they  do  not 
persevere  after  acquiring  a  certain  degree  of  it.  But. 
Sir,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  may  attain  to  a  per- 
fect English  pronunciation,  if  they  will.  We  find  how- 
near  they  come  to  it  ;  and  certainly,  a  man  who'  con- 
quers nineteen  parts  of  the  Scottish  accent,  may  con- 
quer the  twentieth.  But,  Sir,  when  a  man  has  got  the 
better  of  nine  tenths  he  grows  weary,  he  relaxes  his 
diligence,  he  finds  he  has  corrected  his  accent  so  far  as 
not  to  be  disagreeable,  and  he  no  longer  desires  his 
friends  to  tell  him  when  he  is  wrong  ;  nor  does  he 
choose  to  be  told.  Sir,  when  people  watch  me  narrow- 
ly, and  1  do  not  watch  myself,  they  will  find  me  out  to  be 
of  a  particular  county.  In  the  same  manner,  Dunning 
may  be  found  out  to  be  a  Devonshire  man.  So  most 
Scotchmen  may  be  found  out.  But,  Sir,  little  aberra- 
tions are  of  no  disadvantage.  I  never  catched  Mallet 
in  a  Scotch  accent ;  and  yet  Mallet,  I  suppose,  was  past 
iive-and-twenty  before  he  came  to  London." 

Upon  another  occasion  I  talked  to  him  on  this  subject, 
having  myself  taken  some  pains  to  improve  my  pro- 
nunciation, by  the  aid  of  the  late  Mr.  Love,  of  Drury- 
lane  theatre,  when  he  was  a  player  at  Edinburgh,  and 
also  of  old  Mr.  Sheridan.  Johnson  said  to  me,  "  Sir, 
your  pronunciation  is  not  oflTensivc."  With  this  con- 
cession I  was  pretty  well  satisfied  ;  and  let  me  give  my 
countrymen  of  North-Britain  an  advice  not  to  aim  at 
absolute  perfection  in  this  respect ;  not  to  speak  High 
English,  as  we  are  apt  to  call  what  is  far  removed  from 
the  Scotch,  but  which  is  by  no  means  good  English, 
and  makes,  "  the  fools  who  use  it,"  truly  ridiculous. 
Good  English  is  plain,  easy,  and  smooth  in  the  mouth 


DR.    JOHNSON.  17 

of  an  unaffected  English  Gentleman.  A  studied  and  1 772. 
factitious  pronunciation,  which  requires  perpetual  atten-  ^^^[ 
tion,  and  imposes  perpetual  constraint,  is  exceedingly  6y. 
disgusting.  A  small  intermixture  of  provincial  pecu- 
liarities may,  perhaps,  have  an  aoreeahle  etfect,  as  the 
notes  of  different  birds  concur  in  the  harmony  of  the 
grove,  and  please  more  than  if  they  were  all  exactly 
alike.  I  could  name  some  gentlemen  of  Ireland,  to 
whom  a  slight  proportion  of  the  accent  and  recitative 
of  that  country  is  an  advantage.  The  same  observation 
will  apply  to  the  gentlemen  of  Scotland.  1  do  not  mean 
that  we  should  speak  as  broad  as  a  certain  prosperous 
member  of  Parliament  from  that  country  ;  though  it  has 
been  well  observed,  that  "  it  has  been  of  no  small  use 
to  him  ;  as  it  rouses  the  attention  of  the  House  by  its 
uncommonness  :  and  is  equal  to  tropes  and  figures  in  a 
good  English  speaker."  I  would  give  as  an  instance  of 
what  1  mean  to  recommend  to  my  countrymen,  the 
pronunciation  of  the  late  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot ;  and  may  I 
presume  to  add  that  of  the  present  Earl  of  Marcli- 
mont,  who  told  me,  with  great  good  humour,  that  the 
master  of  a  shop  in  London,  where  he  was  not  known, 
said  to  him,  "  1  suppose,  Sir,  you  are  an  American." 
"  Why  so.  Sir?"  (said  his  Lordship.)  "  Ikcause,  Sir, 
(replied  the  shopkeeper,)  you  speak  neither  English  nor 
Scotch,  but  something  ditferent  from  both,  which  I  con- 
clude is  the  language  of  America." 

BoswELL.  "  It  may  be  of  use.  Sir,  to  have  a  Dic- 
tionary to  ascertain  the  pronunciation."  Johnson. 
"Why,  Sir,  my  Dictionary  shows  you  the  accent  of 
words,  if  you  can  but  remember  them."  Boswell. 
"  But,  Sir,  we  want  marks  to  ascertain  the  pronuncia- 
tion of  the  vowels.  Sheridan,  I  believe,  has  finished 
such  a  work."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  consider  how] 
much  easier  it  is  to  learn  a  language  by  the  ear,  than  by^' 
any  marks.  Sheridan's  Dictionary  may  do  very  well ; 
but  you  cannot  always  carry  it  about  with  you  :  and, 
when  you  want  the  word,  you  have  not  the  Dictionary. 
It  is  like  a  man  who  has  a  sword  that  will  not  draw.  Jt 
is  an  admirable  sword,  to  be  sure  :  but  while  your  en- 
emy is  cuttinii'  vour  throat,  vou  nvp  unable  to  use  it. 

VOL.  II.  :5 


18  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  Besides,  Sir,  what  entitles  Sheridan  to  fix  the  pronun- 
'^^  ciation  of  English  ?     He  has,  in  the  first  place,  the  dis- 
63.    advantage  of  being  an  Irishman  :  and  if  he  says  he  will 
fix  it  after  the  example  of  the  best  company,  why  they 
differ  among  themselves.      I  remember  an  instance  : 
when  1  published  the   Plan  for  my  Dictionary,  Lord 
Chesterfield  told  me  that  the  word  great  should  be  pro- 
nounced   so  as  to  rhyme   to  state;  and  Sir  William 
.     Yonge  sent  me  word  that  it  should  be  pronounced  so 
as  to  rhyme  to  seat,  and  that  none  but  an  Irishman 
would  pronounce  \tgrait.     Now  here  were  two  men  of 
the   highest  rank,   the  one,  the   best  speaker   in    the 
House   of  Lords,  the  other,  the  best  speaker  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  differing  entirely.'' 

I  again  visited  him  at  night.  Finding  him  in  a  very 
good  humour,  I  ventured  to  lead  him  to  the  subject  of 
our  situation  in  a  future  state,  having  much  curiosity  to 
know  his  notions  on  that  point.  Johnson.  "  VVhy, 
Sir,  tlie  happiness  of  an  unembodied  spirit  will  consist 
in  a  consciousness  of  the  favour  of  God,  in  the  contem- 
plation of  truth,  and  in  the  possession  of  felicitating* 
ideas."  Boswell.  "  But,  Sir,  is  there  any  harm  in  our 
forming  to  ourselves  conjectures  as  to  the  particulars  of 
our  happiness,  though  the  scripture  has  said  but  very 
little  on  the  subject !  '  We  know  not  what  we  shall 
be."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  there  is  no  harm.  What  phi- 
losophy suggests  to  us  on  this  topick  is  probable  :  what 
scripture  tells  us  is  certain.  Dr.  Henry  More  has  car- 
ried it  as  far  as  philosophy  can.  You  may  buy  both 
his  theological  and  philosophical  works  in  two  volumes 
folio,  for  about  eight  shiUings."  Boswell.  "  One  of 
the  most  pleasing  thoughts  is,  that  we  shall  see  our 
friends  again." 5  Johnson.  '' Yes,  Sir ;  but  you  must 
consider,  that  when  we  are  become  purely  ration- 
al, many  of  our  friendships  will  be  cut  off.  Many 
friendships  are  formed  by  a  community  of  sensual 
pleasures  :  all  these  will  be  cut  off.  We  form  many 
friendships^  with  bad  men,  because  they  have  agree- 
able qualities,  and  they  can  be  uscfid  to   us  ;    but, 

'  [Bishop  Hall,  in  his  Epistle,  "  discoursing  of  the  different  degrees  of  heavenly 
glory,  and  of  our  mutual  knowledge  of  each  other  above,"  (Dec.  iii.  c,  (>,)  holds 
the  affirmative  on  both  these  questions.     M.] 


J)R.    JOHNSON.  19 

alter  deatlt,   they   <'an  no  longer  be  of  use  lo  us.     We  1772. 
rbrni  many  (Viendsliijjs  by  mistake,  imagining  people  to  ^j^ 
be  dillen  lit   {Vom  vvliat   they  really  are.     After  death,   63. 
we  shall  see  every  one  in  a  true  light.     Then,  Sir,  they 
talk  of  our  meelincc  our  relations  :  but  then  all  relation- 
ship  is  dissolved  ;  and  we  shall  have  no  regard  for  one 
person   more  than  another,   but  for  their  real    value. 
However,  we  shall  either  have  the  satisfaction  of  meet- 
ing our  friends,  or  be  satisfied  without  meeting  them." 
BoswKLL.    "  Yet,  Sir,  we  see  in  scripture,  that  Dives 
still  retained  an  anxious  concern  about  his  brethren." 
Johnson.     "  Why,  Sir,  we  must  either  suppose  that 
passage  to  be  metaphorical,  or  hold  with  many  divines, 
and  ail  the  Purgatorians,  that  departed  souls  do  not  all 
at  once  arrive  at  the  utmost  perfection  of  which   they 
are  capable."     Boswell.  "  1  think.  Sir,  that  is  a  very 
rational  supposition."     Johnson.    "Why  yes,  Sir;  but 
we  do  not  know  it  is  a  true  one.     There  is  no  harm  in 
believing  it :  but  you  must  not  compel  others  to  make 
Jt  an  article  of  faith  ;  for  it  is  not  revealed."     Bosavell. 
•'  Do  you  think.   Sir,  it  is  wrong  in  a  man  who  holds 
the  doctrine  of  Purgatory,  to  pray  for  the  souls  of  his 
deceased  friends."     Johnson.   "  Why  no,  Sir."     Bos- 
well.   "  J  have  been  told,   that  in  the  Liturgy  of  the 
Episcopal   Church   of  Scotland,  there  was  a  form  of 
prayer  for  the  dead."     Johnson.    "  Sir,  it  is  not  in  the 
Liturgy  which  Laud  framed   for  the  Episcopal  Church 
of  Scotland  :    if  there  is  a  liturgy  older  than  that,  I 
should  be  glad  to  see  it."     Boswell.  "  As  to  our  em- 
ployment in  a  future  state,  the  sacred  writings  say  little.    . 
The  Revelation,   however,  of  St.  John  gives  us  many 
ideas,  and  particularly  mentions  musick."     Johnson. 
"  Why,  Sir,  ideas  must  be  given  you  by  means  of  some- 
thing which   you  know  :  and   as  to  musick  there  are 
some  philosophers  and  divines  who  have  maintained 
that  we  shall  not  be  spiritualized  to  such  a  degree,  but 
that  something  of  matter,  very  much  refined,  will  re- 
main.    In  that  case,  musick  may  make  a  part  of  our  fu- 
ture felicity." 

Boswell.    "  I  do  not  know  whether  there  are  any 
well-attested  stories  of  the  appearance  of  ghosts.     \ou 


20  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  know  there  is  a  famous  story  of  the  appearance  of 
^JJ^  Mrs.  Veal,  prefixed  to  '  Drehncourt  on  Death."  John- 
63.  SON.  "  1  beheve,  Sir,  that  is  given  up.  I  beheve  the 
woman  declared  upon  her  death-bed  that  it  was  a  lie."' 
BoswELL.  "  This  objection  is  made  against  the  truth 
of  ghosts  appearing:  that  if  they  are  in  a  state  of  hap- 
piness, it  would  be  a  punishment  to  them  to  return  to 
this  world  ;  and  if  they  are  in  a  state  of  misery,  it  would 
be  giving  them  a  respite."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  as 
the  happiness  or  misery  of  embodied  spirits  does  not 
depend  upon  place,  but  is  intellectual,  we  cannot  say 
that  they  are  less  happy  or  less  miserable  by  appearing 
upon  earth." 

We  went  down  between  twelve  and  one  to  Mrs. 
Williams's  room,  and  drank  tea.  1  mentioned  that  we 
were  to  have  the  remains  of  Mr.  Gray,  in  prose  and 
verse,  published  by  Mr.  Mason.  Johnson.  "  1  think 
we  have  had  enough  of  Gray.  I  see  they  have  pub- 
lished a  splendid  edition  of  Akenside's  works.  One 
bad  ode  may  be  suffered  ;  but  a  number  of  them  to- 
gether makes  one  sick."  BoswELL.  "  Akenside's  dis- 
tinguished poem  is  his  '  Pleasures  of  Imagination  :*  but 
for  my  part,  I  never  could  admire  it  so  much  as  most 
people  do."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  1  could  not  read  it 
through."  BoswELL.  "  I  have  read  it  through  ;  but 
I  did  not  find  any  great  power  in  it." 

I  mentioned  Elwal,  the  heretick,  whose  trial  Sir 
John  Pringle  had  given  me  to  read.  Johnson.  "  Sir, 
Mr.  Elwal  was,  1  think,  an  ironmonger  at  Wolver- 
hampton ;  and  he  had  a  mind  to  make  himself  famous, 
by  being  the  founder  of  a  new  sect,  which  he  wished 
much  should  be  called  .Eheallians.  He  held,  that  ev- 
ery thing  in  the  Old  Testament  that  was  not  typical, 
was  to  be  of  perpetual  observance  :  and  so  he  wore  a 
ribband  in  the  plaits  of  his  coat,  and  he  also  wore  a 
beard.  1  remember  I  had  the  honour  of  dining  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Elwal.  There  was  one  Barter,  a  miller, 
who  wrote  against  him  ;  and  you  had  the  controversy 

'  [This  fiction  is  known  to  have  been  invented  by  Daniel  Defoe,  and  was  added 
to  the  second  edition  of  the  English  translation  of  Drelin  court's  work,  to  make  it 
sell.    The  first  edition  had  it  not.     M.l 


DR.    JOHNSON.  21 

between   ^\r.  Elwal  and   Mr.    Bari  kr.     To  try  to  i772. 
make  liiniself  distinguished  he  wrote  a  letter  to  Iving  ^^ 
George,  the  Second,  challenging  him  to  dispute  with    (i3. 
him,   in  which   he  said,  '  George,   if  you  be  afraid  to 
come  by  yourself",  to  dispute  with  a  poor  old  man,  3  ou 
may  bring  a  thousand  of  your  b/ack-gwdtds  with  you  ; 
and  if  you  should  still  be  afraid,  you  may  bring  a  thou- 
sand of  your  /W-guards.'     The  letter  had  something  of 
the  impudence  of  Junius  to  our  present  King.     But 
the  men  of  VV^olverhampton  were  not  so  inflammable  as 
the  Common-Council  of  London  ;  so  Mr.  Elwal  failed 
in  his  scheme  of  making  himself  a  man  of  great  conse- 
quence." 

On  Tuesday,  March  :31,  he  and  I  dined  at  General 
Paoli's.  A  question  was  started  whether  the  state  of 
marriage  was  natural  to  man.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  it  is  so 
far  from  being  natural  for  a  man  and  woman  to  live  in 
a  state  of  marriage,  that  we  find  all  the  motives  which 
they  have  for  remaining  in  that  connection,  and  the  re- 
straints which  civilized  society  imposes  to  prevent  sep- 
aration, are  hardly  sufficient  to  keep  them  together." 
The  General  said,  that  in  a  state  of  nature  a  man  and 
woman  uniting  together,  would  form  a  strong  and  con- 
stant affection,  by  the  mutual  pleasure  each  would  re- 
ceive ;  and  that  the  same  causes  of  dissension  would 
not  arise  between  them,  as  occur  between  husband  and 
wife  in  a  civilized  state.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  they  would 
have  dissensions  enough,  though  of  another  kind.  One 
would  choose  to  go  a  hunting  in  this  wood,  the  other 
in  that ;  one  would  choose  to  go  a  fishing  in  this  lake, 
the  other  in  that ;  or,  perhaps,  one  would  choose  to 
go  a  hunting,  when  the  other  would  choose  to  go  a 
fishing  ;  and  so  they  would  part.  Besides,  Sir,  a  sav^- 
age  man  and  a  savage  woman  meet  by  chance  :  and 
when  the  man  sees  another  woman  that  pleases  him 
better,  he  will  leave  the  first." 

We  then  fell  into  a  disquisition  whether  there  is  any 
beauty  independent  of  utility.  The  General  maintain- 
ed there  was  not.  Dr.  Johnson  maintained  that  there 
was ;  and  he  instanced  a  cofJ'ee  cup  which  he  held  in 
his  hand,  the  painting  of  which  was  of  no  real  use,  as 


22  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  the  cup  would  hold  the  coffee  equally  well  if  plain  ; 
"^^  yet  the  painting  was  beautiful. 

63.  *  We  talked  of  the  strange  custom  of  swearing  in  con- 
versation. The  General  said,  that  all  barbarous  nations 
swore  from  a  certain  violence  of  temper,  that  could  not 
be  confined  to  earth,  but  was  always  reaching  at  the 
powers  above.  He  said,  too,  that  there  was  greater  va- 
riety of  swearing,  in  proportion  as  there  was  a  greater 
variety  of  religious  ceremonies. 

Dr.  Johnson  went  home  with  me  to  my  lodgings 
in  Conduit-street  and  drank  tea,  previous  to  our  going 
to  the  Pantheon,  which  neither  of  us  had  seen  before. 

He  said,  "  Goldsmith's  life  of  Parnell  is  poor  ;  not 

that  it  is  poorly  written,  but  that  he  had  poor  materials  ; 

for  nobody  can  write  the  life  of  a  man,  but  those  who 

I     have  eat  and  drunk  and  lived  in  social  intercourse  with 

him.^' 

I  said,  that  if  it  was  not  troublesome  and  presuming 
too  much,  1  would  request  him  to  tell  me  all  the  little 
circumstances  of  his  life  ;  v^diat  schools  he  attended, 
when  he  came  to  Oxford,  when  he  came  to  London, 
&c.  &c.  He  did  not  disapprove  of  my  curiosity  as  to 
these  particulars  ;  but  said,  "  They'll  come  out  by  de- 
grees, as  we  talk  together." 

He  censured  RufFhead's  Life  of  Pope  ;  and  said, 
"he  knew  nothing  of  Pope,  and  nothing  of  poetry." 
He  praised  Dr.  Joseph  Warton's  Essay  on  Pope  ;  but 
said,  "  he  supposed  we  should  have  no  more  of  it,  as  the 
authour  had  not  been  able  to  persuade  the  world  to 
think  of  Pope  as  he  did."  Boswell.  "  Why,  Sir, 
should  that  prevent  him  from  continuing  his  work  !  He 
is  an  ingenious  Counsel,  who  has  made  the  most  of  his 
cause  :  he  is  not  obliged  to  gain  it."  Johnson.  "  But, 
Sir,  there  is  a  difference,  when  the  cause  is  of  a  man's 
own  making." 

We  talked  of  the  proper  use  of  riches.  Johnson. 
"  If  I  were  a  man  of  a  great  estate,  1  would  drive  all 
the  rascals  whom  I  did  not  like  out  of  the  county  at 
an  election." 

I  asked  him,  how  far  he  thought  wealth  should  be 
employed  in  hospitality.     Johnson.  "  You  are  to  con- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  S3 

sider  that  ancient  hospitality,  of  which  \vc  hear  so  »77a. 
much,  was  in  an  uncoinmevcial  country,  when  men  be-  ^^ 
ing  idle,  were  glad  to  be  entertained  at  rich  men's  ta-  63. 
bles.  But  in  a  commercial  country,  a  busy  country, 
time  becomes  precious,  and  therefore  hospitality  is  not 
so  much  valued.  No  doubt  there  is  still  room  for  a 
certain  degree  of  it  ;  and  a  man  has  a  satisfaction  in 
seeing  his  friends  eating  and  drinking  around  him. 
Hut  promiscuous  hospitality  is  not  the  way  to  gain  real 
influence.  You  must  help  some  people  at  table  before 
others  ;  you  must  ask  some  people  how  they  like  their 
wine  oftener  than  others.  You  therefore  offend  more 
people  than  you  please.  You  are  like  the  French 
statesman,  who  said,  when  he  granted  a  favour,  '  J\n 
ftiit  clix  mccontents  et  un  iiigratJ'  Besides,  Sir,  being 
entertained  ever  so  well  at  a  man's  table,  impresses  no 
lasting  regard  or  esteem.  No,  Sir,  the  way  to  make 
sure  of  power  and  influence  is,  by  lending  money  confi- 
dentially to  your  neighbours  at  a  small  interest,  or  per- 
haps at  no  interest  at  all,  and  having  their  bonds  in 
your  possession."  Boswell.  "  May  not  a  man,  Sir, 
employ  his  riches  to  advantage,  in  educating  young  men 
of  merit  ?"  Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir,  if  they  fall  in  your 
way  ;  but  if  it  be  understood  that  you  patronize  young 
men  of  merit,  you  will  be  harassed  with  solicitations. 
You  will  have  numbers  forced  upon  you,  who  have  no 
merit;  some  will  force  them  upon  you  from  mistaken 
partiality  ;  and  some  from  downright  interested  mo- 
tives, without  scruple  ;  and  you  will  be  disgraced." 

"Were  I  a  rich  man,  I  would  propagate  all  kinds  of 
trees  that  will  grow  in  the  open  air.  A  green-house  is 
childish.  I  would  introduce  foreign  animals  into  the 
country  ;  for  instance,  the  rein-deer."^ 

The  conversation  now  turned  on  critical  subjects, 
Johnson.  "  Bayes,  in  'The  Rehearsal,'  is  a  mighty 
silly  character.  If  it  was  intended  to  be  like  a  particu- 
lar man,  it  could  only  be  diverting  while  that  man  was 
remembered.     But  1   question  whether  it  was  meant 

^  This  project  has  since  been  realized.  Sir  Henry  Liddel,  who  made  a  spirited 
tour  into  Lapland,  brought  two  rein-deer  to  his  estate  in  Northumberland,  where 
they  bred  :  but  the  race  has  unfortunately  perished. 


24  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  for  Dr^'den,  as  has  been  reported ;  for  we  know  some 
"^^^  of  the  passages  said  to  be  ridiculed,  were  written  since 
63.  the  Rehearsal ;  at  least  a  passage  mentioned  in  the 
Preface^  is  of  a  later  date."  1  maintained  that  it  had 
merit  as  a  general  satire  on  the  self-importance  of  dra- 
matick  authours.  But  even  in  this  light  he  held  it 
very  cheap. 

We  then  walked  to  the  Pantheon.  The  first  view 
of  it  did  not  strike  us  so  much  as  Ranelagh,  of  which  he 
said,  the  "  coup  d'oeii  was  the  finest  thing  he  had  ever 
seen."  The  truth  is,  Ranelagh  is  of  a  more  beautiful 
form ;  more  of  it,  or  rather  indeed  the  whole  rotunda, 
appears  at  once,  and  it  is  better  lighted.  However,  as 
Johnson  observed,  we  saw  the  Pantheon  in  time  of 
mourning,  when  there  was  a  dull  uniformity  ;  whereas 
we  had  seen  Ranelagh,  when  the  view  was  enlivened 
with  a  gay  profusion  of  colours.  Mrs.  Bosville,  of  Gun- 
thwait,  in  Yorkshire,  joined  us,  and  entered  into  con- 
versation with  us.  Johnson  said  to  me  afterwards, 
"  Sir,  this  is  a  mighty  intelligent  lady." 

I  said  there  was  not  half  a  guinea's  worth  of  pleasure 
in  seeing  this  place.  Johnson.  "  But,  Sir,  there  is 
half  a  guinea's  worth  of  inferiority  to  other  people  in  not 
having  seen  it."  Bos  well.  "  I  doubt.  Sir,  whether 
there  are  many  happy  people  here."  Johnson.  "  Yes, 
Sir,  there  are  many  happy  people  here.  There  are 
many  people  here  who  are  watching  hundreds,  and  who 
think  hundreds  arewatchino-  them." 

Happening  to  meet  Sir  Adam  Ferguson,  I  presented 
him  to  Dr.  Johnson.  Sir  Adam  expressed  some  appre- 
hension that  the  Pantheon  would  encourage  luxury. 
"Sir,  (said  Johnson,)  I  am  a  great  friend  to  publick 
amusements  ;  for  they  keep  people  from  vice.  You 
now  (addressing  himself  to  me,)  would  have  been  with 


^  [There  is  no  Preface  to  "  The  Rehearsal,"  as  originally  published.  Dr.  John- 
son seems  to  have  meant  the  Address  to  the  Reader  with  a  Key  subjoined  to  it ; 
which  have  been  prefixed  to  the  modern  editions  of  that  play.  He  did  not  know, 
it  appears,  that  several  additions  were  made  to  "  The  Rehearsal"  after  the  first  edi- 
tion. The  ridicule  on  tlie  passages  here  alluded  to  is  found  among  those  additions. 
They  therefore  furnish  no  ground  for  the  doubt  here  suggested.  Unquestionably 
Bayes  was  meant  to  be  the  representative  of  Dryden,  wijose  famiUar  phrases  in  his 
ordimrv  conversation  arc  frequently  introduced  in  this  piece.     M.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  2j 

ii  wench,  had  you  not  been  here. — O  !  I  forgot  you  were  •772. 
married."  £^x^. 

Sir  Adam  suggested,  that  luxury  corrupts  a  people,  o;). 
and  destroys  the  spirit  of  hberty.  Johnson.  "  Sir, 
that  is  all  visionary.  I  would  not  give  half  a  guinea  to 
live  under  one  form  of  Government  rather  than  another. 
It  is  of  no  moment  to  the  happiness  of  an  individual. 
Sir,  the  danger  of  the  abuse  of  power  is  nothing  to  a  pri- 
vate man.  What  Frenchman  is  prevented  from  passing 
his  life  as  he  pleases?"  Sir  Adam.  "  But,  Sir,  in  the 
British  constitution  it  is  surely  of  importance  to  keep 
up  a  spirit  in  the  people,  so  as  to  preserve  a  balance 
against  the  crown."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  I  perceive  you 
are  a  vile  Whig. — Why  all  this  childish  jealousy  of  the 
power  of  the  crown  ?  The  crown  has  not  power  enough. 
When  I  say  that  all  governments  are  alike,  I  consider 
that  in  no  government  power  can  be  abused  long.  ^Jan- 
kind  will  not  bear  it.  If  a  sovereign  oppresses  his  peo- 
ple to  a  great  degree,  they  will  rise  and  cut  off  his  head. 
There  is  a  remedy  in  human  nature  against  tyrannyA 
that  will  keep  us  safe  under  every  form  of  government.  J 
Had  not  the  people  of  France  thought  themselves  hon- 
oured in  sharing  in  the  brilliant  actions  of  Louis  XIV. 
they  woilld  not  have  endured  him  ;  and  we  may  say 
the  same  of  the  King  of  Prussia's  people."  Sir  Adam 
introduced  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans.  John- 
son. "  Sir,  the  mass  of  both  of  them  were  barbarians. 
The  mass  of  every  people  must  be  barbarous  where 
there  is  no  printing,  and  consequently  knowledge  is  not 
generally  diffused.  Knowledge  is  diffused  among  our 
people  by  the  news-papers."  Sir  Adam  mentioned  the 
orators,  poets  and  artists  of  Greece.  Johnson.  "  Sir, 
1  am  talking  of  the  mass  of  the  people.  We  see  even 
•what  the  boasted  Athenians  were.  The  little  effect 
which  Demosthenes's  orations  had  upon  them,  shews 
that  they  were  barbarians." 

Sir  Adam  was  unlucky  in  his  topicks  ;  for  he  sug- 
gested a  doubt  of  the  propriety  of  Bishops  having  seats 
in  the  House  of  Lords.  Johnson.  "  How  so.  Sir  ] 
Who  is  more  proper  for  having  the  dignity  of  a  peer, 
than  a  Bishop,  provided  a  Bishop  be  what  he  ought  to 

VOL.  II.  4j 


2b  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  be  ;  and  if  improper  Bishops  be  made,  that  is  not  the 
^1^^  fault  of  the  Bishops,  but  of  those  who  make  them/' 
63.  On  Sunday,  April  5,  after  attending  divine  service 
at  St.  Paul's  church,  I  found  him  alone.  Of  a  school- 
master of  his  acquaintance,  a  native  of  Scotland,  he 
said,  "  He  has  a  great  deal  of  good  about  him  ;  but 
he  is  also  very  defective  in  some  respects.  His  inner 
part  is  good,  but  his  outer  part  is  mighty  aukward. 
You  in  Scotland  do  not  attain  that  nice  critical  skill 
in  languages,  which  we  get  in  our  schools  in  England. 
I  would  not  put  a  boy  to  him,  whom  1  intended  for  a 
man  of  learning.  But  for  the  sons  of  citizejis,  who  are 
to  learn  a  little,  get  good  morals,  and  then  go  to  trade, 
he  may  do  very  well.'' 

I  mentioned  a  cause  in  which  I  had  appeared  as 
counsel  at  the  bar  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  where  a  Probationer^  (as  one  li- 
censed to  preach,  but  not  yet  ordained,  is  called,)  was 
opposed  in  his  application  to  be  inducted,  because  it 
was  alledged  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  fornication  five 
years  before.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  if  he  has  repent- 
ed, it  is  not  a  sufficient  objection.  A  man  who  is  good 
enough  to  go  to  heaven,  is  good  enough  to  be  a  clergy- 
man." This  was  a  humane  and  liberal  sentiment. 
But  the  character  of  a  clergyman  is  more  sacred  than 
that  of  an  ordinary  christian.  As  he  is  to  instruct  with 
authority,  he  should  be  regarded  with  reverence,  as  one 
upon  whom  divine  truth  has  had  the  effect  to  set  him 
above  such  transgressions,  as  men,  less  exalted  by  spir- 
itual habits  and  yet  upon  the  whole  not  to  be  excluded 
from  heaven,  have  been  betrayed  into  by  the  predom- 
inance of  passion.  That  clergymen  may  be  considered 
as  sinners  in  general,  as  all  men  are,  cannot  be  denied  ; 
but  this  reflection  will  not  counteract  their  good  pre- 
cepts so  much,  as  the  absolute  knowledge  of  their  hav- 
ing been  guilty  of  certain  specifick  immoral  acts.  1  told 
him,  th^t  by  the  rules  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  in 
their  "  Book  of  Discipline,"  if  a  scum/a/,  as  it  is  called, 
is  not  prosecuted  for  five  years,  it  cannot  afterwards  be 
proceeded  upon,  "  unless  it  be  of  a  hfinous  nature^  or 
again  become  tlagrant  ;"   and  that  hence  a  question 


UR.    JOHNSON.  37 

arose,   whether  fornication  was  a  sin  of  a  heinous  na-  1772. 
ture  ;  and  that  1  had  maintained,  that  it  did  not  deserve  ^rT' 
that  epithet,  in  as  much  as  it  was  not  one  of  those  sins  6,3_ ' 
which  argue   very  great  depravity  of  heart  :    in  short, 
was  not,  in  the  general  acceptation  of  mankind,  a  hein- 
ous sin.     Johnson.  "No,   Sir,  it  is  not  a  heinous  sin. 
A  heinous  sin  is  that  for  which  a  man  is  punished  with 
(ieath  or  banishment."     Boswell.  "  But,  Sir,  after  I 
had  argued  that  it  was  not  a  heinous  sin,  an  old  clergy- 
man   rose    up,    and    repeating  the    text  of  scripture 
denouncing  judgment   against    whoremongers,  asked, 
whether,  considering  this,  there  could  he  any  doubt  of 
fornication  being  a  heinous  sin.      Johnson.  "  Why, 
Sir,  observe  the  word  z'vhoremonger.     Every  sin,  if  per- 
sisted in,  will   become   heinous.      Whoremonger  is  a 
dealer  in  whores,  as  ironmonger  is  a  dealer  in  iron. 
But  as  you  don't  call  a  man  an  ironmonger  for  buying 
and  selling  a  pen-knife  ;  so  you   don't  call  a  man  a      f 
whoremonger  for  getting  one  wench  with  child."*  v^ 

I  spoke  of  the  inequality  of  the  livings  of  the  clergy 
in  England,  and  the  scanty  provisions  of  some  of  the 
Curates.  Johnson.  "  Why  yes,  Sir  ;  but  it  cannot 
be  helped.  You  must  consider,  that  the  revenues  of 
the  clergy  are  not  at  the  disposal  of  the  state,  like  the 
pay  of  the  army.  Different  men  have  founded  differ- 
ent churches  ;  and  some  are  better  endowed,  some 
worse.  The  state  cannot  interfere  and  make  an  equal 
division  of  what  has  been  particularly  appropriated. 
Now  when  a  clergyman  has  but  a  small  living,  or  even 
two  small  livings,  he  can  afford  very  little  to  the  Cu-  . 
rate." 

He  said,  he  went  more  frequently  to  church  when 
there  were  prayers  only,  than  when  there  was  also  a 
sermon,  as  the  people  required  more  an  example  for 
the  one  than  the  other  ;  it  being  much  easier  for  them 
to  hear  a  sermon,  than  to  fix  their  minds  on  prayer. 

On  Monday,  April  6,  1  dined  with  him  at  Sir  Alex- 
ander Macdonald's,  where   was  a  young  officer  in  the 

■I  It  must  not  be  presumed  that  Dr.  Johnson  meant  to  give  any  countenance  to 
licentiousness,  though  in  the  character  of  an  Advocate  he  made  a  just  and  subtle 
distinction  between  occasional  and  liabitual  transgression. 


38  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  regimentals  of  the  Scots  Royal,  who  talked  with  a  vi- 

^gj^  vacity,  fluency,  and   precision  so  uncommon,  that  he 

63.    attracted  particular  attention.     He  proved   to  be  the 

Honourable  Thomas  Erskine,  youngest  brother  to  the 

Earl  of  Buchan,  who  has  since  risen  into  such  brilliant 

reputation  at  the  bar  in  Westminster-hall. 

Fielding  being  mentioned,  Johnson  exclaimed,  "  he 
was  a  blockhead ;"  and  upon  my  expressing  my  aston- 
ishment at  so  strange  an  assertion,  he  said,  "  What  I 
mean  by  his  being  a  blockhead  is,  that  he  was  a  barren 
rascal."  Boswell.  "  Will  you  not  allow,  Sir,  that  he 
draws  very  natural  pictures  of  human  life?"  Johnson. 
"  Why,  Sir,  it  is  of  very  low  life.  Richardson  used  to 
say,  that  had  he  not  known  who  Fielding  was,  he 
should  have  believed  he  was  an  ostler.  Sir,  there  is 
more  knowledge  of  the  heart  in  one  letter  of  Richard- 
son's, than  in  all  'Tom  Jones.' ^  i^  indeed,  never 
read  '  Joseph  Andrews."  Erskine.  "  Surely,  Sir, 
Richardson  is  very  tedious."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  if 
you  were  to  read  Richardson  for  the  story,  your  impa- 
tience would  be  so  much  fretted  that  you  would  hang 
yourself.  But  you  must  read  him  for  the  sentiment, 
and  consider  the  story  as  only  giving  occasion  to  the 
sentiment."—!  have  already  given  my  opinion  of  Field- 
ing ;  but  I  cannot  refrain  from  repeating  here  my  won- 
der at  Johnson's  excessive  and  unaccountable  depre- 
ciation of  one  of  the  best  writers  that  England  has  pro- 
duced. "  Tom  Jones"  has  stood  the  test  of  publick 
opinion  with  such  success,  as  to  have  established  its 
great  merit,  both  for  the  story,  the  sentiments,  and  the 
manners,  and  also  the  varieties  of  diction,  so  as  to  leave 
no  doubt  of  its  having  an  animated  truth  of  execution 
throughout, 

A  book  of  travels,  lately  published  under  the  title  of 
Coriat   Junior^   and    written   by   Mr.   Paterson,^    was 

^  [Johnson's  severity  against  Fielding  did  not  arise  from  any  viciousness  in  his 
style,  but  from  his  loose  life,  and  the  profligacy  of  almost  all  his  male  characters. 
Who  would  venture  to  read  one  of  his  novels  aloud  to  modest  women  ?  His  nov- 
els are  male  amusements,  and  very  amusing  they  certainly  are. — Fielding's  conver- 
sation was  coarse,  and  so  tinctured  with  the  rank  weeds  of  t'ui  Gardai,  that  it 
would  now  be  thought  only  fit  for  a  brothel.     iJ.] 

^  Mr.  Samuel  Paterson,  eniinent  for  his  knowledge  of  books 


DR.    JOHNSON.  29 

mentioned.     Jolinson   said,   tliis  book  was  in  imitation  ^772. 
of  Sterne, ^  and  not  of  Coiiat,  whose   name  i^^iterson  ^^'^ 
had  chosen  as  a  whimsical  one.     "  Tom  Coiiat,  (saitl   53. 
he,)  was  a  humourist  about  the   Court  of  James  the 
First,     lie  had  a  mixture  of  learning,  of  wit,  and  of 
budoonery.     He  first  travelled   through   Europe,   and 
published  his  travels.     He  afterwards  travelled  on  foot 
through   Asia,  and   had  made  many  remarks  ;  but  he 
died  at  Mandoa  and  his  remarks  were  lost." 

We  talked  of  gaming,  and  animadverted  on  it  with 
severity.  Johnson.  "  Nay,  gentlemen,  let  us  not  ag- 
gravate the  matter.  It  is  not  roguery  to  play  with  a 
man  who  is  ignorant  of  the  game,  while  you  are  master 
of  it,  and  so  win  his  money ;  for  he  thinks  he  can  play 
better  than  you,  as  you  think  you  can  play  better  than 
he;  and  the  superiour  skill  carries  it."  Erskine.  "He 
is  a  fool,  but  you  are  not  a  rogue."  Johnson.  "That's 
much  about  the  truth,  Sir.  It  must  be  considered, 
that  a  man  who  only  does  what  every  one  of  the  soci- 
ety to  which  he  belongs  would  do,  is  not  a  dishonest 
man.  In  the  republick  of  Sparta,  it  was  agreed,  that 
stealing  was  not  dishonourable,  if  not  discovered.  1  do 
not  commend  a  society  where  there  is  an  agreement 
that  what  would  not  otherwise  be  fair,  shall  be  fair  ; 
but  I  maintain,  that  an  individual  of  any  society,  who 
practices  what  is  allowed,  is  not  a  dishonest  man." 
BoswELL.  "  So  then,  Sir,  you  do  not  think  ill  of  a  man 
who  wins  perhaps  forty  thousand  pounds  in  a  winter  I" 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  I  do  not  call  a  gamester  a  dishonest 
man  ;  but  I  call  him  an  unsocial  man,  an  unprofitable 
man.  Gaming  is  a  mode  of  transferring  property  with- 
out producing  any  intermediate  good.  Trade  gives 
employment  to  numbers,  and  so  produces  intermediate 
good." 

Mr.  Erskine  told  us,  that  when  he  was  in  the  island 
of  Minorca,  he  not  only  read  prayers,  but  preached  two 
.sermons  to  the  regiment.  He  seemed  to  object  to  the 
passage  in  scripture,  where  we  are  told  that  the  angel 
3f  the  Lord  smote  in  one  night  forty  thousand  Assyri- 

"  Mr.  Paterson,  in  a  pamphlet,  produced  some  evidence  to  shew  that  his  work 
was  written  before  Sterne's  '  Sentimental  Journey'  appeared. 


30  THE    LIFE    01 

1779.  ans.*     "  Sir,  (said  Johnson,)  you  should  recollect  that 
2^  there  was  a  supernatural  interposition  ;  they  were  de- 

63.    stroyed  by  pestilence.     You  are  not  to  suppose   that 
,     the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  about  and  stabbed  each  of 
them  with  a  dagger,  or  knocked  them  on  the  head,  man 
by  man/' 

After  Mr.  Erskine  was  gone,  a  discussion  took  place, 
whether  the  present  Earl  of  Buchan,  when  Lord  Car- 
dross,  did  right  to  refuse  to  go  Secretary  of  the  Embassy 
to  Spain,  when  Sir  James  Gray,  a  man  of  inferiour  rank, 
went  Ambassadour.  Dr.  Johnson  said,  that  perhaps  in 
point  of  interest  he  did  wrong  ;  but  in  point  of  dignity 
he  did  well.  Sir  Alexander  insisted  that  he  was  wrong ; 
and  said  that  Mr.  Pitt  intended  it  as  an  advantageous 
thing  for  him.  "  Why,  Sir,  (said  Johnson,)  Mr.  Pitt 
might  think  it  an  advantageous  thing  for  him  to  make 
him  a  vintner,  and  get  him  all  the  Portugal  trade ;  but 
he  would  have  demeaned  himself  strangely  had  he  ac- 
cepted of  such  a  situation.  Sir,  had  he  gone  Secretary 
while  his  inferiour  was  Ambassadour,  he  would  have 
been  a  traitor  to  his  rank  and  family." 

I  talked  of  the  little  attachment  which  subsisted  be- 
tween near  relations  in  London.  "  Sir,  (said  Johnson,) 
in  a  country  so  commercial  as  ours,  where  every  man 
can  do  for  himself,  there  is  not  so  much  occasion  for 
that  attachment.  No  man  is  thought  the  worse  of 
here,  whose  brother  was  hanged,  in  uncommercial 
countries,  many  of  the  branches  of  a  family  must  de- 
pend on  the  stock  ;  so,  in  order  to  make  the  head  of  the 
family  take  care  of  them,  they  are  represented  as  con- 
nected with  his  reputation,  that,  self-love  being  inter- 
ested, he  may  exert  himself  to  promote  their  interest. 
You  have  first  large  circles,  or  clans  ;  as  commerce  in- 
creases, the  connection  is  confined  to  families  ;  by  de- 
grees, that  too  goes  off,  as  having  become  unnecessary, 
and  there  being  few  opportunities  of  intercourse.  One 
brother  is  a  merchant  in  the  city,  and  another  is  an  offi- 
cer in  the  guards  ;  how  little  intercourse  can  these  two 
have  !" 

»  [One  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand-    See  Isaiah,  xxxvii.  '.i6,  and  2  Kings, 
lix.  S5.     M.] 


DR.   JOHNSON.  31 

1  argued  warmly  for  the  old  feudal  system.     Sir  Al-  1772. 
exander  opposed  it,  and  talked  of  the  pleasure  of  seeing  ^J^ 
ail  men  free  and  independent.     Johnson.    "  I  agree   63. 
with  Mr.  liosvvell,  that  there  must  be  high  satisfartion 
in  being  a  feudal  Lord  ;  but  we  are   to  consider,  that 
We  ought  not  to  wish  to  have  a  number  of  men  unhappy 
fur  the  satisfaction   of  one." — I  maintained  that  num- 
bers, namely,  the  vassals  or  followers,   were  not  un- 
happy ;  for  that  there  was  a  reciprocal  satisfactirui  be- 
tween  the   Lord  and  them  :  he  being  kind  in  his  au- 
thority over  them  ;  they  being  respectful  and  faithful 
to  him. 

On  Thursday,  April  9,  I  called  on  him  to  beg  he 
would  go  and  dine  with  me  at  the  Mitre  tavern.  He 
had  resolved  not  to  dine  at  all  this  day,  I  know  not  for 
what  reason  ;  and  1  was  so  unwilling  to  be  deprived  of 
his  company,  that  1  was  content  to  submit  to  suffer 
a  want,  which  was  at  first  somewhat  painful,  but  he 
soon  made  me  forget  it ;  and  a  man  is  always  pleased 
with  himself,  when  he  finds  his  intellectual  inclinations 
predominate. 

He  observed,  that  to  reason  philosophically  on  the 
nature  of  prayer,  was  very  unprofitable. 

Talking  of  ghosts,  he  said,  he  knew  one  friend,  who 
was  an  honest  man  and  a  sensible  man,  who  told  him 
he  had  seen  a  ghost ;  old  Mr.  Edward  Cave,  the  printer 
at  St.  John's  Gate.  He  said,  Mr.  Cave  did  not  like  to 
talk  of  it,  and  seemed  to  be  in  great  horrour  whenever 
it  was  mentioned.  Boswell.  "  Pray,  Sir,  what  did  he 
say  was  the  appearance?''  Johnson.  "Why,  Sir, 
something  of  a  shadowy  being." 

1  mentioned  witches,  and  asked  him  what  they  prop- 
erly meant.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  they  properly  mean 
those  who  make  use  of  the  aid  of  evil  spirits."  Hos- 
W£LL.  "  There  is  no  doubt.  Sir,  a  general  report  and 
belief  of  their  having  existed."  Johnson.  "  You  liave 
not  only  the  general  report  and  belief,  but  you  have 
many  voluntary  solemn  confessions."  He  did  not  af- 
firm any  thing  positively  upon  a  subject  which  it  is  the 
fashion  of  the  times  to  lau^h  at  as  a  matter  of  absurd 
credulity.     He  only  seemed  willing,  as  a  candid  en- 


32  THE    LIFE    or 

1772.  quirer  after  truth,  however  strange  and  inexplicable,  to 
shew  that  he  understood  what  might  be  urged  for  it.^ 

On  Friday,  April  10,  I  dined  with  him  at  General 
Oglethorpe's,  where  we  found  Dr.  Goldsmith. 

Armorial  bearings  having  been  mentioned,  Johnson 
said  they  were  as  ancient  as  the  siege  of  Thebes,  which 
he  proved  by  a  passage  in  one  of  the  tragedies  of  Eu- 
ripides. ' 

I  started  the  question,  whether  dueUing  was  consist- 
ent with  moral  duty.  The  brave  old  General  fired  at 
this,  and  said,  with  a  lofty  air,  "  Undoubtedly  a  man 
has  a  right  to  defend  his  honour."  Goldsmith,  (turn- 
ing to  me,)  "  I  ask  you  first,  Sir,  what  would  you  do  if 
you  were  affronted  ]"  1  answered,  I  should  think  it 
necessary  to  fight.  "  Why  then,  (replied  Goldsmith,) 
that  solves  the  question."  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir,  it  does 
not  solve  the  question.  It  does  not  follow,  that  what 
a  man  would  do  is  therefore  right."  1  said,  I  wished 
to  have  it  settled,  whether  duelling  was  contrary  to  the 
laws  of  Christianity.  Johnson  immediately  entered  on 
the  subject,  and  treated  it  in  a  masterly  manner ;  and 
so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  recollect,  his  thoughts  were 
these :  "  Sir,  as  men  become  in  a  high  degree  refined, 
various  causes  of  offence  arise  ;  which  are  considered 
to  be  of  such  importance,  that  life  must  be  staked  to 
atone  for  them,  though  in  reality  they  are  not  so.  A 
body  that  has  received  a  very  fine  polish  may  be  easily 
hurt.  Before  men  arrive  at  this  artificial  refinement,  if 
one  tells  his  neighbour — he  lies,  his  neighbour  tells 
him — he  lies  ;  if  one  gives  his  neighbour  a  blow,  his 
neighbour  gives  him  a  blow :  but  in  a  state  of  highly 
polished  society,  an  affront  is  held  to  be  a  serious  inju- 
ry. It  must,  therefore,  be  resented,  or  rather  a  duel 
must  be  fought  upon  it ;  as  nien  have  agreed  to  banish 
from  their  society  one  who  puts  up  with  an  affront  with- 

'  See  this  curious  question  treated  by  him  with  most  acute  ability, "  Journal  of 
a  Tour  to  the  Hebrides,"  3d  edit.  p.  33. 

'  [The  passage  to  which  Johnson  alluded,  is  to  be  found  (as  I  conjecture)  in  the 
PH^ENISSiE.  1.  1120. 

Kai   Tfira  f/.iv  TTpoir'iyi;  k.  r.  A.. 

'O   Twr   y.viiayov   IlapBivoTiTjOf   (Kyovof, 

Eni2HM,  e^av  OUCEION  tv  f/jo-u  <r«.r.ii.  J.  B. — O.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  S;3 

out  figlitiiiii  a  duel.     Now,  Sir,  it  is  never  unlawtul  to  ^772. 
fight  in  self-defence.  He,  then,  who  fights  a  duel,  does  Ji^. 
not  figlit  from  passion  against  I  lis  antagonist,  but  out  of  63. 
self-defence  ;  to  avert  the  stigma  of  the  world,   and  to 
prevent  himself  from  being  d-riven  out  of  society.     I 
could  wish  there  was  not  that  superfluity  of  refinement ; 
hut  while  such  notions  prevail,  no  doubt  a  man  may 
lawfully  fight  a  duel." 

l^t  it  be  remembered,  that  this  justification  is  appli- 
cable only  to  the  person  who  receives  an  affront.  All 
mankind  must  condemn  the  aggressor. 

The  General  told  us,  that  when  he  was  a  very  young 
man,  1  think  only  fifteen,  serving  under  Prince  Eugene 
of  Savoy,  he  was  sitting  in  a  company  at  table  with  a 
Prince  of  Wirtemberg.  The  Prince  took  up  a  glass  of 
wine,  and,  by  a  fillip,  made  some  of  it  tlv  in  Oglethorpe's 
face.  Here  was  a  nice  dilemma.  To  have  ehallensred 
him  instantly,  might  have  fixed  a  quarrelsome  character 
upon  the  young  soldier :  to  have  taken  no  notice  of  it, 
might  have  been  considered  as  cowardice.  Oglethorpe, 
therefore,  keeping  his  eye  upon  the  Prince,  and  smil- 
ing all  the  time,  as  if  he  took  what  his  Highness  had 
done  in  jest,  said  "  Mon  Prince, — "  (I  forget  the  French 
words  he  used,  the  purport  however  was,)  "  That's  a 
good  joke  ;  but  we  do  it  much  better  in  England  ;"  and 
threw  a  whole  glass  of  wine  in  the  Prince's  face.  Aq 
old  General  who  sat  by,  said,  "  //  a  bien  fait,  mon 
Prince,  vans  favez  commence  .•"  and  thus  all  ended  in 
good  humour. 

Dr.  Johnson  said,  "  Pray,  General,  give  us  an  ac- 
count of  the  siege  of  Belgrade."  Upon  which  the  Gen- 
eral, pouring  a  little  wine  upon  the  table,  described  ev- 
erv  thing  with  a  wet  finger :  "  Here  we  were,  here 
were  the  Turks,"  &c.  &c.  Johnson  listened  with  the 
closest  attention. 

A  question  was  started,  how  far  people  who  disagree 
in  a  capital  point  can  live  in  fiiendship  together.  John- 
son said  they  might.  Goldsmith  said  they  could  not, 
as  they  had  not  the  idem,  velle  afque  idem  nolle — the 
same  likings  and  the  same  aversions.  Johxson. 
"  Why,  Sir,  you  must  shun  the  subject  as  to  which 

vol.  it,  .5 


34  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  you  disagree.  For  instance,  I  can  live  very  welt  with 
J^'^  iiurke :  1  love  his  knowledge,  his  genius,  his  diffusion, 
m.  and  affluence  of  conversation  ;  but  I  would  not  talk  to 
him  of  the  Rockingham  party."  Goldsmith.  "  But, 
Sir,  when  people  live  together  who  have  something  as 
to  which  they  disagree,  and  which  they  want  to  shun, 
they  will  be  in  the  situation  mentioned  in  the  story  of 
Bluebeard  :  '  You  may  look  into  all  the  chambers  but 
one.^  But  we  should  have  the  greatest  inclination  to 
look  into  that  chamber,  to  talk  of  that  subject." 
Johnson,  (with  a  loud  voice)  "  Sir,  1  am  not  saying 
that  i/ou  could  live  in  friendship  with  a  man  from 
whom  you  differ  as  to  some  point  :  1  am  only  saying 
that  /  could  do  it.  You  put  me  in  mind  of  Sappho, 
in  Ovid."^ 

Goldsmith  told  us,  that  he  was  now  busy  in  writing 
a  Natural  History  ;  and,  that  he  might  have  full  leisure 
for  it,  he  had  taken  lodgings,  at  a  farmer's  house,  near 
to  the  six  mile-stone,  on  the  Ecigeware-road,  and  had 
carried  down  his  books  in  two  returned  post-chaises. 
He  said,  he  beUeved  the  farmer's  family  thought  him 
an  odd  character,  similar  to  that  in  which  the  Specta- 
tor appeared  to  his  landlady  and  her  children  :  he  was 
The  Gentleman.  Mr.  Mickle,  the  translator  of  "  The 
Lusiad,"  and  I,  went  to  visit  him  at  this  place  a  few 
days  afterwards.  He  was  not  at  home  ;  but  having  a 
curiosity  to  see  his  apartment,  we  went  in,  and  found 
curious  scraps  of  descriptions  of  animals,  scrawled  upon 
the  wall  with  a  black  lead  pencil. 

The  subject  of  ghosts  being  introduced,  Johnson  re- 
peated what  he  had  told  me  of  a  friend  of  his,  an  honest 
man,  and  a  man  of  sense,  having  asserted  to  him,  that 
he  had  seen  an  apparition.  Goldsmith  told  us,  he  was 
assured  by  his  brother,  the  Reverend  Mr.  Goldsmith, 

2  [Mr.  Boswell's  note  here  being  rather  short,  as  taken  at  the  time,  (with  a  view- 
perhaps  to  future  revision,)  Johnson's  remark  is  obscure,  and  requires  to  be  a  little 
opened.  What  he  said,  probably  was,  "  You  seem  to  think  that  two  friends,  to 
live  well  together,  must  be  in  a  perfect  harmony  with  each  other  ;  that  each  should 
be  to  the  other,  what  Sappho  boasts  slie  was  to  her  lover,  and  unifornily  agree  in 
every  particular  :  but  this  is  by  no  means  necessary,"  &c.  Tlie  words  of  Sappho 
alluded  to,  are  ; — ^"  evmigue  a  parte  placebam"  Ovid.  Epist.  Sapp.  ad  Phaoncm.  l.  45 . 
M.] 


DK.    JOHNSON.  J  J 

that   li€  also   liad  scon  one.      General  Oglethorpe  told  '772. 
us,  tlial  Piendergast,  an  oltiecr  in  the  Duke  of  JNlaiibo-  ^[^ 
loiigirs  aniiv,    liad   mentioned  to  many  of  his  friends,    63. 
that  he  shonld  die  on  a  partieular  day  :   that  upon  that 
day  a  battle  took  place  with  the   French  ;  that  after  it 
was  over,   and  l^endergast   was  still  alive,  his   brother 
ollicers,  while  they  were  yet  in  the  held,  jestingly  asked 
hiui,  wlierc  was  his  prophecy  now.     Prendergast  grave- 
ly answered,    '*   1  shall   die,  notwithstanding  what  you 
see."     Soon  afterwards,  there  came  a  shot  from  a  French 
battery,  to  which  the  orders  for  a  cessation  of  arms  had 
not  yet  reached,  and  he  was  killed  upon  the  spot.     Col- 
onel Cecil,  who  took  possession  of  his  effects,  found  in 
his  pocket-book  the  following  solemn  entry  : 

[Here  the  date.]     "  Dreamt — or  ^  Sir  John 

Friend  meets  me  :"  (here  the  very  day  on  which  he 
was  killed  was  mentioned.)  Prendergast  had  been 
connected  with  Sir  John  Friend,  who  was  executed  for 
high  treason.  General  Oglethorpe  said,  he  was  with 
Colonel  Cecil,  when  Pope  came  and  enquired  into  the 
truth  of  this  story,  which  made  a  great  noise  at  the 
time,  and  was  then  confirmed  by  the  Colonel. 

On  Saturday,  April  11,  he  appointed  me  to  come  to 
him  in  the  evening,  when  he  should  be  at  leisure  to 
give  me  some  assistance  for  the  defence  of  Hastie,  the 
schoolmaster  of  Campbelltown,  for  whom  1  was  to  ap- 
pear in  the  House  of  Lords.  When  1  came,  1  found 
him  unwilling  to  exert  himself.  1  pressed  him  to  write 
down  his  thoughts  upon  the  subject.  He  said,  "  There's 
no  occasion  for  my  writing.  I'll  talk  to  you."  He 
was,  however,  at  last  prevailed  on  to  dictate  to  me. 
while  1  wrote  as  follows  : 

"  The  charge  is,  that  he  has  used  immoderate  and 
cruel  correction.  Correction,  in  itself,  is  not  cruel  ; 
children,  being  not  reasonable,  can  be  governed  only  by 
fear.  To  impress  this  fear,  is  therefore  one  of  the  first 
duties  of  those  who  have  the  care  of  children.     It  is  the 

■  Here  was  a  blank,  which  may  be  filled  up  thus  : — "  ivas  told  by  an  apparitkn  ," 
—the  writer  being  probably  uncertain  whether  he  was  asleep  or  awake,  when  his 
inind  was  impressed  with  the  solemn  presentiment  with  which  the  fact  afterwards 
happened  so  wonderfully  to  correspond. 


36  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  duty  of  a  parent  ;  and  has  never  been  thought  incon- 
Jj^sistent  with  parental  tenderness.  It  is  the  duty  of  a 
63.  master,  who  is  in  his  highest  exaltation  when  he  is  /oco 
parentis,  'iet,  as  good  things  become  evil  by  excess, 
correction,  by  being  immoderate,  may  become  cruel. 
But  when  is  correction  immoderate  ?  When  it  is  more 
frequent  or  more  severe  than  is  re(]uired  ad  monendum 
et  docendum,  for  reformation  and  instruction.  No  se- 
verity is  cruel  which  obstinacy  makes  necessary  ;  for 
the  greatest  cruelty  would  be,  to  desist,  and  leave  the 
scholar  too  careless  for  instruction,  and  too  much  hard- 
ened for  reproof  Locke,  in  his  treatise  of  Education, 
mentions  a  mother,  with  applause,  who  whipped  an  in- 
fant eight  times  before  she  had  subdued  it  ;  for  had 
she  stopped  at  the  seventh  act  of  correction,  her  daugh- 
ter, says  he,  would  have  been  ruined.  The  degrees  of 
obstinacy  in  young  minds,  are  very  different  :  as  differ- 
ent must  be  the  degrees  of  persevering  severity.  A 
stubborn  scholar  must  be  connected  till  be  is  subdued. 
The  discipline  of  a  school  is  military.  There  must  be 
either  unbounded  licence  or  absolute  authority.  The 
master,  who  punishes,  not  only  consults  the  future 
happiness  of  him  who  is  the  immediate  subject  of  cor- 
rection, but  he  propagates  obedience  through  the  whole 
school  ;  and  establishes  regularity  by  exemplary  justice. 
The  victorious  obstinacy  of  a  single  boy  would  make 
his  future  endeavours  of  reformation  or  instruction  to- 
tally ineflfectual.  Obstinacy,  therefore,  must  never  be 
victorious.  Yet,  it  is  well  known,  that  there  some- 
times occurs  a  sullen  and  hardy  resolution,  that  laughs 
at  all  common  punishment,  and  bids  defiance  to  all 
common  degrees  of  pain.  Correction  must  be  propor- 
tioned to  occasions.  The  flexible  will  be  reformed  by 
gentle  discipline,  and  the  refractory  must  be  subdued 
by  harsher  methods.  The  degrees  of  scholastick,  as  of 
militar}'  punishment,  no  stated  rules  can  ascertain.  It 
must  be  enforced  till  it  overpowers  temptation  ;  till 
stubbornness  becomes  flexible,  and  perverseness  regu- 
lar. Custom  andreason  have,  indeed,  set  some  botmds 
-  to  scholastick  penalties.  The  schoolmaster  inflicts  no 
capital  punishments  ;  nor  enforces  his  edicts  by  either 


DR.    JOHNSON.,  3/ 

death  or  mutilation.  The  civil  law  has  wisely  deter-  1772. 
mined,  that  a  master  who  strikes  at  a  scholar's  eye  shall  ^^ 
be  cousidi  red  as  criminal.  But  punishments,  howevir  (.3 
severe,  that  produce  no  lasting  evil,  may  be  just  and 
reasonable,  because  they  may  be  necessary.  Such 
liave  been  the  punishments  used  by  the  respondent. 
No  schohu"  has  gone  tVom  him  cither  blind  or  lame,  or 
with  any  of  his  limbs  or  powers  ii^jured  or  impaired. 
They  were  irregular,  and  he  punished  them  :  they 
were  obstinate,  and  he  enforced  his  punishment.  But 
however  provoked,  he  never  exceeded  the  limits  of 
moderation,  for  he  inflicted  nothing  beyond  present 
pain  :  and  how  much  of  that  was  required,  no  man  is 
so  little  able  to  determine  as  those  who  have  determin- 
ed against  him  : — the  parents  of  the  offenders. — It  has 
l)een  said,  that  he  used  unprecedented  and  improper 
instruments  of  correction.  Of  this  accusation  the 
meaning  is  not  very  easy  to  be  found.  No  instrument 
of  correction  is  more  proper  than  another,  but  as  it  is 
better  adapted  to  produce  present  pain  without  lasting 
mischief.  Whatever  were  his  instruments,  no  lasting 
mischief  has  ensued  ;  and  therefore,  however  unusual, 
in  hands  so  cautious  they  were  proper. — It  has  been 
objected,  that  the  respondent  admits  the  charge  of  cru- 
elty, by  producing  no  evidence  to  confute  it.  Let  it 
be  considered,  that  his  scholars  are  either  dispersed  at 
large  in  the  world,  or  continue  to  inhabit  the  place  in 
which  they  were  bred.  Those  who  are  dispersed  can- 
not be  found  ;  those  who  remain  are  the  sons  of  his 
prosecutors,  and  are  not  likely  to  support  a  man  to 
whom  their  fathers  are  enemies.  If  it  be  supposed 
that  the  enmity  of  their  fathers  proves  the  justness  of 
the  charge,  it  must  be  considered  how  often  experi- 
ence shews  us,  that  men  who  are  angry  on  one  ground 
will  accuse  on  another  ;  with  how  little  kindness,  in  a 
town  of  low  trade,  a  man  who  lives  by  learning  is  re 
garded  ;  and  how  implicitly,  where  the  inhabitants  are 
not  very  rich,  a  rich  man  is  hearkened  to  and  follow- 
ed. In  a  place  like  Campbelltown,  it  is  easy  for  one 
of  the  principal  inhabitants  to  make  a  party.  It  is  easy 
for  that  party  to  heat  themselves  with  imaginary  griev- 


38  XHE    LIFE    OF 

ances.  It  is  easy  for  tbem  to  oppress  a  maij  poorer 
than  themselves  ;  and  natural  to  assert  the  dignity  of 
riches,  by  persisting  in  oppression.  The  argument 
which  attempts  to  prove  the  impropriety  of  restoring 
him  to  the  school,  by  alledging  that  he  has  lost  the 
confidence  of  the  people,  is  not  the  subject  of  jurid- 
ical consideration  ;  for  he  is  to  suffer,  if  he  must 
suffer,  not  for  their  judgement,  but  for  his  own  actions. 
It  may  be  convenient  for  them  to  have  another  master ; 
but  it  is  a  convenience  of  their  own  making.  It  would 
be  likewise  convenient  for  him  to  find  another  school  ; 
but  this  convenience  he  cannot  obtain. — The  question 
is  not  what  is  now  convenient,  but  what  is  generally 
right.  If  the  people  of  Campbelltown  be  distressed  by 
the  restoration  of  the  respondent,  they  are  distressed 
only  by  their  own  fault  ;  by  turbulent  passions  and 
unreasonable  desires  ;  by  tyranny,  which  law  has  de- 
feated, and  by   malice,  which  virtue  has  surmounted/^ 

"  This,  Sir,  (said  he,)  you  are  to  turn  in  your  mind, 
and  make  the  best   use  of  it  you  can  in  your  speech." 

Of  our  friend  Goldsmith  he  said,  "  Sir,  he  is  so 
much  afraid  of  being  unnoticed,  that  he  often  talks 
merely  lest  you  should  forget  that  he  is  in  the  com- 
pany." BoswELL.  "  Yes,  he  stands  forward."  John- 
son. "  True,  Sir  ;  but  if  a  man  is  to  stand  forward,  he 
should  wish  to  do  it  not  in  an  aukward  posture,  not  in 
rags,  not  so  as  that  he  shall  only  be  exposed  to  ridi- 
cule." BoswELL.  "  For  my  part,  I  like  very  well  to 
hear  honest  Goldsmith  talk  away  carelessly."  John- 
son. "  Why  yes,  Sir  ;  but  he  should  not  like  to  hear 
himself." 

On  Tuesday,  April  14,  the  decree  of  the  Court  of 
Session  in  the  Schoolmaster's  cause  was  reversed  in  the 
House  of  Lords,  after  a  very  eloquent  speech  b}'  Lord 
Mansfield,  who  shewed  himself  an  adept  in  school  dis- 
cipline, but  1  thought  was  too  rigorous  towards  my  cli- 
ent. On  the  evening  of  the  next  day  1  supped  with 
Dr.  Johnson,  at  the  Crown  and  Anchor  tavern,  in  the 
Strand,  in  company  with  Mr.  Jyangton  and  his  brother- 
in-law.  Lord  Binning.  I  repeated  a  sentence  of  Lord 
Mansfield's  speech,  of  which,  by  the  aid  of  Mr.  Long- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  39 

lands,  the  solicitor  on  the  other  side,  who  ohligingly  al-  '"72. 
lowed  nie  to  compare  his  note  with  my  own,   1  have  a  ^(^ 
full  copy  :  "  My  Lords,  severity  is  not  the  way  to  gov-   (j3. 
em  either  boys  or  men."     "  Nay  (said  Johnson,)  it  is 
the  wav  to^^Oc'^/v^  them.     1  know   not   whether  it  be 
the  way  to  memi  them." 

I  talked  of  the  recent  expulsion  of  six  students  from 
the  University  of  Oxfoixl,  who  were  methodists,  and 
would  not  desist  from  publickly  praying  and  exhorting. 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  that  expulsion  was  extremely  just  and 
proper.  What  have  they  to  do  at  an  University,  who 
are  not  willing  to  be  taught,  but  will  presume  to  teach  ?  ^ 
Where  is  religion  to  be  learnt,  but  at  an  University! 
Sir,  they  were  examined,  and  found  to  be  mighty  igno- 
rant fellows."  BoswELL.  "  But,  was  it  not  hard.  Sir, 
to  expel  them,  for  I  am  told  they  were  good  beings  ?" 
Johnson.  "  I  believe  they  might  be  good  beings;  but 
they  were  not  fit  to  be  in  the  University  of  Oxford.  A  ■  . 
cow  is  a  very  good  animal  in  the  field  ;  but  we  turn  I  ( 
her  out  of  a  garden."  Lord  Eliijank  used  to  repeat 
this  as  an  illustration  uncommonly  happ}'. 

Desirous  of  calling  Johnson  forth  to  talk,  and  exer- 
cise his  wit,  though  1  should  myself  be  the  object  of  it, 
I  resolutely  ventured  to  undertake  the  defence  of  con- 
vivial indulgence  in  wine,  though  he  was  not  to-night 
in  the  most  genial  humour.  After  urging  the  common 
plausible  topicks,  I  at  last  had  recourse  to  the  maxim, 
in  vino  verifas,  a  man  who  is  well  warmed  with  wine 
will  speak  truth.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  that  may  be 
an  argument  for  drinking,  if  you  suppose  men  in  gen- 
eral to  be  liars.  But,  Sir,  I  would  not  keep  company 
vvith  a  fellow,  who  lyes  as  long  he  is  sober,  and  whom 
vou  must  make  drunk  before  vou  can  oet  a  word  of 
truth  out  of  him."* 

Mr.  Langton  told  us,  he  was  about  to  establish  a 
school  upon  his  estate,  but  it  bad  been  suggested  to 
him,  that  it  might  have  a  tendency  to  make  the  people 

"  Mrs.  Piozzi,  in  her  "  Anecdotes,^'  p.  261,  has  given  an  erroneous  account  ot 
this  incident,  as  of  many  others.  Slie  pretend,  to  relate  it  from  recollection,  as  U 
she  herself  had  been  present :  when  the  fact  ik  th.it  it  was  communicated  to  her  bv 
me.     She  has  represented  it  as  a  personality,  and  the  true  point  has  escaped  her 


40  THE    LIFE    Ot 

577^.  less  industrious.  Johhson.  "  No,  Sir.  While  iearn-* 
^J^  ing  to  read  and  write  is  a  distinction,  the  few  who  have 
fi3.  that  distinction  may  be  the  less  inclined  to  work  ;  but 
when  every  body  learns  to  read  and  write,  it  is  no  long- 
er a  distinction.  A  man  who  has  a  laced  waistcoat  is 
too  fine  a  man  to  work ;  but  if  every  body  had  laced 
waistcoats,  we  should  have  people  working  in  laced 
waistcoats.  There  are  no  people  whatever  more  in- 
dustrious, none  who  work  more,  than  our  manufactur-^ 
ers ;  yet  they  have  all  learnt  to  read  and  write.  Sir, 
^^  you  must  not  neglect  doing  a  thing  immediately  good, 
'  from  fear  of  remote  evil ; — from  fear  of  its  being  abused. 
A  man  who  has  candles  may  sit  up  too  late,  which  he 
w^ould  not  do  if  he  had  not  candles  ;  but  nobody  will 
deny  that  the  art  of  making  candles,  by  which  light  is 
continued  to  us  beyond  the  time  that  the  sun  gives  us 
light,  is  a  valuable  art,  and  ought  to  be  preserved." 
Bos  WELL.  "  But,  Sir,  vi'ould  it  not  be  better  to  follow 
Nature  ;  and  go  to  bed  and  rise  just  as  nature  gives  us 
light  or  withholds  it  ?"  Johnson.  "No,  Sir;  for  then 
we  should  have  no  kind  of  equality  in  the  partition  of 
our  time  between  sleeping  and  waking.  It  would  be 
very  different  in  different  seasons  and  in  different 
places.  In  some  of  the  northern  parts  of  Scotland  how 
little  light  is  there  in  the  depth  of  winter  !^' 

We  talked  of  Tacitus,  and   I   hazarded  an  opinion, 

that  with  all  his  merit  for  penetration,  shrewdness  of 

judgement,   and   terseness  of  expression,  he   was  too 

compact,  too  much  broken  into  hints,  as  it  were,  and 

therefore  too  difficult  to  be  understood.     To  my  great 

/  satisfaction  Dr.  Johnson  sanctioned  this  opinion.  "  fac- 

1   itus.  Sir,  seems  to  me  rather  to  have  made  notes  for  an 

I   historical  work,  than  to  have  written  a  history."  ^ 

At  this  time  it  appears  from  his  "  Prayers  and  Med- 
itations," that  he  had  been  more  than  commonly  dili- 
gent in  religious  duties,  particularly  in  reading  the  holy 
scriptures.     It  was   Bassion  W^eek,  that  solemn  season 

■>  It  is  remarkable  that  Lord  Monhoddo,  whom,  on  account  of  his  resembling  Dr. 
Johnson  in  some  particulars,  Footc  called  an  Elzevir  edition  of  him,  has,  by  co- 
incidence, made  the  very  same  remark.  Origin  and  Progress  of  Language,  vol.  iii.  2d 
edit.  p.  219. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  41 

which  the  Christian  world  has  appropriated  to  the  com- 1772. 
memoration  of  the  mysteries  of  our  redemption,   and  j^^'^ 
during  which,  whatever  embers  of  rehii,ion   are  in  our    G3, 
breasts,  will  be  kindled  into  pious  warmth. 

I  paid  him  short  visits  both  on  Friday  and  Saturday, 
and  seeing  his  large  folio  Greek  Testament  before  him, 
beheld  him  with  a  reverential  awe,  and  would  not  in- 
trude upon  his  time.  While  he  was  thus  employed  to 
such  good  purpose,  and  while  his  friends  in  their  inter- 
course with  him  constantly  found  a  vigorous  intellect 
and  a  lively  imagination,  it  is  melancholy  to  read  in  his 
private  register,  "  INIy  mind  is  unsettled  and  my  mem- 
ory confused.  I  have  of  late  turned  my  thoughts  with 
a  very  useless  earnestness  upon  past  incidents.  1  have 
yet  got  no  command  over  my  thoughts  ;  an  unpleasing 
incident  is  almost  certain  to  hinder  my  rest."^  What 
philosophick  heroism  was  it  in  him  to  appear  with  such 
manly  fortitude  to  the  world,  while  he  was  inwardly  so 
distressed  !  We  may  surely  believe  that  the  mysterious 
principle  of  being  "  made  perfect  through  suffering," 
was  to  be  strongly  exemplified  in  him. 

On  Sunday,  April  19,  being  Easter-day,  General  Pa- 
oli  and  1  paid  him  a  visit  before  dinner.  We  talked  of 
the  notion  that  blind  persons  can  distinguish  colours 
by  the  touch.  Johnson  said,  that  Professor  Sanderson 
mentions  his  having  attempted  to  do  it,  but  that  he 
found  he  was  aiming  at  an  impossibility  ;  that  to  be 
sure  a  difference  in  the  surface  makes  the  difference  of 
colours  ;  but  that  did'erence  is  so  fine,  that  it  is  not 
sensible  to  the  touch  ilie  General  mentioned  jug- 
glers and  fraudulent  gamesters,  who  could  know  cards 
by  the  touch.  Dr.  Johnson  said,  "  the  cards  used  by 
such  persons  must  be  less  polished  than  ours  common- 
ly are." 

We  talked  of  sounds.  The  General  said,  there  was 
no  beauty  in  a  simple  sound,  but  only  in  an  harmonious 
composition  of  sounds.  1  presumed  to  differ  from  this 
opinion,  and  mentioned  the  soft  and  sweet  soimd  of  a 
fine  woman's  voice.     Johnson.  "  No,  Sir,  if  a  serpent 

^  Prayers  and  Meditations,  p.  111. 
VOL.   II.  6 


C7 


4a  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  or  a  toad  uttered  it,  you  would  think  it  ugly."     Bos- 

^i^  WELL.  "  So  you  would  think,  Sir,  were  a  beautiful  tune 

63.    to  be   uttered  by  one  of  those  animals.'^     Johnson. 

"  No,  Sir,  it  would  be  admired.     We  have  seen  fine 

fiddlers  whom  we  hked  as  little  as  toads."  (laughing.) 

Talking  on  the  subject  of  taste  in  the  arts,  he  said, 
that  ditference  of  taste  was  in  truth,  difference  of  skill. 
BoswELL.  "  But,  Sir,  is  there  not  a  quality  called  taste, 
which  consists  merely  in  perception  or  in  liking :  For 
instance,  we  find  people  difier  much  as  to  what  is  the 
best  style  of  English  composition.  Some  think  Swift's 
the  best ;  others  prefer  a  fuller  and  grander  way  of 
writing."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  you  must  first  define  what 
you  mean  by  style,  before  you  can  judge  who  has  a 
good  taste  in  style,  and  who  has  a  bad.  The  two 
classes  of  persons  whom  you  have  mentioned,  don't 
suffer  as  to  good  and  bad.  They  both  agree  that  Swift 
has  a  good  neat  style ;  but  one  loves  a  neat  style, 
another  loves  a  style  of  more  splendour.  In  like  man- 
ner, one  loves  a  plain  coat,  another  loves  a  laced  coat ; 
but  neither  will  deny  that  each  is  good  in  its  kind." 

While  1  remained  in  London  this  spring,  I  was  with 
him  at  several  other  times,  both  by  himself  and  in  com- 
pany. I  dined  with  him  one  day  at  the  Crown  and 
Anchor  tavern,  in  the  Strand,  with  Lord  Elibank,  JNlr. 
Langton,  and  Dr.  Yansittart  of  Oxford.  Without  spe- 
cifying each  particular  day,  1  have  preserved  the  follow- 
ing memorable  things. 

1  regretted  the  reflection  in  his  preface  to  Shakspeare 
against  Garrick,  to  whom  we  cannot  but  apply  the  fol- 
lowing passage :  "  I  collated  such  copies  as  I  could 
procure,  and  wished  for  more,  but  have  not  found  the 
collectors  of  these  rarities  very  communicative."  I 
told  him,  that  Garrick  had  complained  to  me  of  it,  and 
had  vindicated  himself  by  assuring  me,  that  Johnson 
was  made  welcome  to  the  full  use  of  his  collection,  and 
that  iie  left  the  key  of  it  with  a  servant,  with  orders  to 
have  a  fire  and  every  convenience  for  him.  1  found 
Johnson's  notion  was,  that  Garrick  wanted  to  be  court- 
ed \'or  them,  and  that,  c-n  the  contrary,  Garrick  should 
have  courted  him,  and  sent  him  the  plays  of  his  own 


DR.    JOHNSON.  4S 

accord.       But,   indeed,   considering   the  slovenly    and  ni'i' 
careless  manner  in  wliicli  books  were  treated  by  .lolin-  JtaT 
son,  it  could  not  be  expected  that  scarce  and  valuable    63. 
editions  should  have  been  lent  to  him. 

A  "gentleman  having  to  some  of  the  usual  arguments 
for  drinking  added  this:  "  Vou  know,  Sir,  drinking 
drives  away  care,  and  makes  us  forget  whatever  is  disa- 
s^reeable.  Would  not  you  allow  a  man  to  drink  for 
that  reason  ?"   Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir,  if  he  sat  next  //on." 

1  expressed  a  liking  for  Mr.  Francis  Osborne's  works, 
and  asked  him  what  he  thought  of  that  writer.  He 
answered,  "  A  conceited  fellow.  Were  a  man  to  write 
so  now,  the  boys  would  throw  stones  at  him.'*  He, 
however,  did  not  alter  my  opinion  of  a  favourite  au- 
thour,  to  whom  1  was  first  directed  by  his  being  quoted 
in  "  rhe  Spectator,"  and  in  whom  1  have  found  much 
shrewd  and  lively  sense,  expressed  indeed  in  a  style 
somewhat  quaint,  which,  however,  1  do  not  dislike. 
His  book  has  an  air  of  originality.  We  figure  to  our- 
selves an  ancient  gentleman  talking  to  us. 

When  one  of  his  friends  endeavoured  to  maintain 
that  a  country  gentleman  might  contrive  to  pass  his  life 
very  agreeably,  "  Sir,  (said  he,)  you  cannot  give  me  an 
instance  of  any  man  who  is  permitted  to  lay  out  his  own 
time,  contriving  not  to  have  tedious  hours."  This  ob- 
servation, however,  is  equally  applicable  to  gentlemen 
who  live  in  cities,  and  are  of  no  profession. 

He  said,  "  there  is  no  permanent  national  charac- 
ter ;  it  varies  according  to  circumstances.  Alexander 
the  Great  swept  India  :  now  the  Turks  sweep  Greece." 

A  learned  gentleman  who  in  the  course  of  conver- 
sation wished  to  inform  us  of  this  simple  fact,  that  the 
Counsel  upon  the  circuit  at  Shrewsbury  were  much 
bitten  by  fleas,  took,  I  suppose  seven  or  eight  minutes 
in  relating  it  circumstantially.  He  in  a  plenitude  of 
phrase  told  us,  that  large  bales  of  woollen  cloth  were 
lodged  in  the  town-hall  ; — that  by  reason  of  this,  fleas 
nestled  there  in  prodigious  numbers  ;  that  the  lodg- 
ings of  the  counsel  were  near  the  town-hall ; — and  that 
those  little  animals  moved  from  place  to  place  \a  itli 
wonderful  agility.     Johnson  sat  in  great  impatience  till 


44 


THE    LIFE    OF 


177^2. 

iEtcit. 
63. 


.x^ 


the  gentleman  had  finished  his  tedious  narrative,  and 
then  burst  out  (playfully  however,)  "  It  is  a  pity,  Sir, 
that  you  have  not  seen  a  lion  ;  for  a  flea  has  taken  you 
such  a  time,  that  a  lion  must  have  served  you  a  twelve- 
month."^ 

He  would  not  allow  Scotland  to  derive  any  credit 
from  Lord  Mansfield  ;  for  he  was  educated  in  England. 
"  Pvluch  (said  he,)  may  be  made  of  a  Scotchman,  if  he 

{    be  caupi^ht  young." 

~"^  Talking  of  a  modern  historian  and  a  modern  moralist, 
he  said,  "  Ihere  is  more  thought  in  the  moralist  than 
in  the   historian.     There  is   but  a  shallow  stream  of 

,    thought  in  history. '     Boswell.     "  But  surely,  Sir,  an 

I  historian  has  reflection."  Johnson.  "Why  yes,  Sir; 
and  so  has  a  cat  when  she  catches  a  mouse  for  her  kit- 

,    ten.     But  she  cannot  write  like  *******  ;  neither  can 

He  said,  "  I  am  very  unwilling  to  read  the  manu- 
scripts of  authours,  and  give  them  my  opinion.  If  the 
authours  who  apply  to  me  have  money,  I  bid  them 
boldly  print  without  a  name  ;  if  they  have  written  in 
order  to  get  money,  I  tell  them  to  go  to  the  booksellers 
and  make  the  best  bargain  they  can."  Boswell, 
"  But,  Sir,  if  a  bookseller  should  bring  you  a  manu- 
script to  look  at."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  I  would  de- 
sire the  bookseller  to  take  it  away." 

I  mentioned  a  friend  of  mine  who  had  resided  long 
in  Spain,  and  was  unwilling  to  return  to  Britain.  John- 
son. "  Sir,  he  is  attached  to  some  woman."  Boswell. 
"  i  rather  believe,  Sir,  it  is  the  fine  climate  which  keeps 
him  there."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  how  can  you  talk 
so?  What  is  c//»?«^e  to  happiness  ?  Place  me  in  the 
heart  of  Asia,  should  I  not  be  exiled  \  What  proportion 
does  climate  bear  to  the  complex  system  of  human 
life  \  You  may  advise  me  to  go  to  live  at  Bologna  to 
eat  sausages.  The  sausages  there,  are  the  best  in  the 
world  ;  they  lose  much  by  being  carried." 

On  Saturday,  May  9,  Mr.  Dempster  and  I  had  agreed 
to  dine  by  ourselves  at  the  British  Coffee-house.  John- 

^  Mrs.  Piozzi,  to  whom  I  told  this  anecdote,  has  related  it,  as  if  the  g^ilemar 
ijad given  "  the  natural  history  of  the  mouse"    Anecdotes,  p.  l**!. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  46 

aon,  on  whom  1  happened  to  call  in  the  morning,  said,  1772. 
he  would  join  us,  which  he  did,  and  we  spent  a  very  ^tat! 
agreeable  day,  though   1  recollect  but  httle  of  what   63. 
passed. 

He  said,   "  Walpole  was  a  minister  given  by  the  f 

King  to  the  people  :  Pitt  was  a  minister  given  by  the  v 

people  to  the  King, — as  an  adjunct." 

'*  The  misfortune  of  Goldsmith  in  conversation  is 
this  :  he  goes  on  without  knowing  how  he  is  to  get  off. 
His  genius  is  great,  but  his  knowledge  is  small.  As 
they  say  of  a  generous  man,  it  is  a  pity  he  is  not  rich, 
we  may  say  of  Goldsmith,  it  is  a  pity  he  is  not  know- 
ing.    He  would  not  keep  his  knowledge  to  himself." 

Before  leaving  London  this  year,  1  consulted  him 
upon  a  question  purely  of  Scotch  law.  It  was  held  of 
old,  and  continued  for  a  long  period,  to  be  an  estab- 
lished principle  in  that  law,  that  whoever  intermeddled 
with  the  effects  of  a  person  deceased,  without  the  in- 
terposition of  legal  authority  to  guard  against  embezzle- 
ment, should  be  subjected  to  pay  all  the  debts  of  the 
deceased,  as  having  been  guilty  of  what  was  technically 
called  vicious  intromission.  The  Court  of  Session  had 
gradually  relaxed  the  strictness  of  this  principle,  where 
the  interference  proved  had  been  inconsiderable.  In  a 
case*  which  came  before  that  Court  the  preceding  win- 
ter, I  had  laboured  to  persuade  the  Judge  to  return  to 
the  ancient  law.  It  was  my  own  sincere  opinion,  that 
they  ought  to  adhere  to  it ;  but  1  had  exhausted  all  my 
powers  of  reasoning  in  vain.  Johnson  thought  as  I 
did  ;  and  in  order  to  assist  me  in  my  application  to  the 
Court  for  a  revision  and  alteration  of  the  judgement,  he 
dictated  to  me  the  following  argument : 

"  This,  we  are  told,  is  a  law  which  has  its  force  only 
from  the  long  practice  of  the  Court :  and  may,  there- 
fore, be  suspended  or  modified  as  the  Court  shall  think 
proper. 

"  Concerning  the  power  of  the  Court  to  make  or  to 
suspend  a  law,  we  have  no  intention  to  enquire.  It  is 
sufficient  for  our  purpose  that  every  just  law  is  dictated 

'  Wilson  against  Smith  and  Armour. 


46  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  by  reason  ;  and  that  the  practice  of  every  legal  Courtis 
^J^  regulated  by  equity.  It  is  the  quality  of  reason  to  be 
63.  invariable  and  constant ;  and  of  equit}^  to  give  to  one 
man  what,  in  the  same  case,  is  given  to  another.  The 
advantage  which  humanity  derives  from  law  is  this  : 
that  the  law  gives  every  man  a  rule  of  action,  and  pre- 
scribes a  mode  of  conduct  which  shall  entitle  him  to 
the  support  and  protection  of  society.  That  the  law 
may  be  a  rule  of  action,  it  is  necessary  that  it  be  known ; 
it  is  necessary  that  it  be  permanent  and  stable.  The 
law  is  the  measure  of  civil  right :  but  if  the  measure  be 
changeable,  the  extent  of  the  thing  measured  never 
can  be  settled. 

"  To  permit  a  law  to  be  modified  at  discretion,  is  to 
leave  the  community  without  law.  It  is  to  withdraw 
the  direction  of  that  publick  wisdom,  by  which  the  de- 
ficiencies of  private  understanding  are  to  be  supplied. 
It  is  to  suffer  the  rash  and  ignorant  to  act  at  discretion, 
and  then  to  depend  for  the  legality  of  that  action  on  the 
sentence  of  the  Judge.  He  that  is  thus  governed,  lives 
not  by  law,  but  by  opinion  :  not  by  a  certain  rule  to 
which  he  can  apply  his  intention  before  he  acts,  but  by 
an  uncertain  and  variable  opinion,  which  he  can  never 
know  but  after  he  has  committed  the  act  on  which  that 
opinion  shall  be  passed.  He  lives  by  a  law,  (if  a  law  it 
be,)  which  he  can  never  know  before  he  has  offended 
it.  To  this  case  may  be  justly  applied  that  important 
principle,  misera  est  seroitus  ubijus  est  aut  incognifmu 
auf  vagum.  If  Intromission  be  not  criminal  till  it  ex- 
ceeds a  certain  point,  and  that  point  be  unsettled,  and 
consequently  different  in  ditferent  minds,  the  right  of 
Intromission,  and  the  right  of  the  Creditor  arising  from 
it,  are  dWjura  vago,  and,  by  consequence,  m'eju?-a  hi- 
cognita ;  and  the  result  can  be  no  other  than  a  imseru 
servitus^  an  uncertainty  concerning  the  event  of  action, 
a  servile  dejiendence  on  private  opinion. 

"  It  may  be  urged,  and  with  great  plausibility,  that 
there  may  be  Intromission  without  fraud  ;  which  how- 
ever true,  will  b}^  no  means  justify  an  occasional  and 
arbitrary  relaxation  of  the  law.  The  end  of  law  is  pro- 
tection as  well  as  vengeance.     Indeed,  vens^eance  is 


DR.    JOHNSON.  47 

never  used  but  to  strengthen  protection.     That  society  >77«. 
only  is  well  governed,  where  life  is  freed  from  danger  ^^^^ 
and  from  suspicion  ;  where  possession  is  so  sheltered   63. 
by  salutary  prohibitions,  that  violation  is  prevented  more 
frequently  than  punished.     Such  a  prohibition  was  this, 
while  it  operated  with  its  original  force.     The  creditor 
of  the  deceased  was  not  only  without  loss,  but  without 
ft  ar.     He  was  not  to  seek  a  remedy  for  an  injury  suf- 
fered ;  for,  injury  was  wardcxl  off. 

"  As  the  law  has  been  sometimes  administered,  it 
lavs  us  open  to  wounds,  because  it  is  imagined  to  have 
the  power  of  healing.  To  punish  fraud  when  it  is  de- 
tected, is  the  proper  art  of  vindictive  justice  ;  but  to 
prevent  frauds,  and  make  punishment  unnecessary,  is 
the  great  employment  of  legislative  wisdom.  To  per- 
mit Intromission,  and  to  punish  fraud,  is  to  make  law 
no  better  than  a  pitfall.  To  tread  upon  the  brink  is  safe  ; 
but  to  come  a  step  further  is  destruction.  But,  surely, 
it  is  better  to  enclose  the  gulf,  and  hinder  all  access,  than 
by  encouraging  us  to  advance  a  little,  to  entice  us  after- 
wards a  little  further,  and  let  us  perceive  our  folly  only 
by  our  destruction. 

"  As  law  supplies  the  weak  with  adventitious  strength, 
it  likewise  enlightens  the  ignorant  with  extrinsick  un- 
derstanding. Law  teaches  us  to  know  when  we  com- 
mit injury,  and  when  we  suffer  it.  It  fixes  certain  marks 
upon  actions,  by  which  we  are  admonished  to  do  or  to 
forbear  them.  Qui  sibi  bene  temper  at  in  Ileitis^  says  one. 
of  the  fathers,  minquam  cadet  in  ilUcita.  He  who  never 
intromits  at  all,  will  never  intromit  with  fraudulent  in- 
tentions. 

"  The  relaxation  of  the  law  against  vicious  intromis- 
sion has  been  very  favourably  represented  by  a  great 
master  of  jurisprudence,*  whose  words  have  been  ex- 
hibited with  unnecessary  pomp,  and  seem  to  be  consid- 
ered as  irresistibly  decisive.  The  great  moment  of  his 
authority  makes  it  necessary  to  examine  his  position. 
'  Some  ages  ago,  (says  he,)  before  the  ferocity  of  the  in- 
habitants of  this  part  of  the  island  was  subdued,  the  ut- 

'  L«rd  Kames,  ia  his  "  Historical  Law  Tracts.' 


48  THE    LIFE   OF 

1772.  most  severity  of  the  civil  law  was  necessary,  to  restrain 
^^  individuals  from  plundering  each  other.  Thus,  the  man 
63.  *  who  intermeddled  irregularly  with  the  moveables  of  a 
person  deceased,  was  subjected  to  all  the  debts  of  the 
deceased  without  limitation.  This  makes  a  branch  of  the 
law  of  Scotland,  known  by  the  name  of  vicious  intromis- 
sion ;  and  so  rigidly  was  this  regulation  applied  in  our 
Courts  of  Law,  that  the  most  trifling  moveable  abstract- 
ed mala Jjde,  subjected  the  intermeddler  to  the  forego- 
ing consequences,  which  proved  in  many  instances  a 
most  rigorous  punishment.  But  this  severity  was  ne- 
cessary, in  order  to  subdue  the  undisciplined  nature  of 
our  people.  It  is  extremely  remarkable,  that  in  pro- 
portion to  our  improvement  in  manners,  this  regulation 
has  been  gradually  softened,  and  applied  by  our  sove- 
reign Court  with  a  sparing  hand.^ 

"  I  find  myself  under  a  necessity  of  observing,  that 
this  learned  and  judicious  writer  has  not  accurately  dis- 
tinguished the  deficiencies  and  demands  of  the  different 
conditions  of  human  life,  which,  from  a  degree  of  sav- 
ageness  and  independence,  in  which  all  laws  are  vain, 
passes  or  may  pass,  by  innumerable  gradations,  to  a  state 
of  reciprocal  benignity,  in  which  laws  shall  be  no  longer 
necessary.  Men  are  first  wild  and  unsocial,  living  each 
man  to  himself,  taking  from  the  weak,  and  losing  to  the 
strong.  In  their  first  coalitions  of  society,  much  of  this 
original  savageness  is  retained.  Of  general  happiness, 
the  product  of  general  confidence,  there  is  yet  no 
thought.  Men  continue  to  prosecute  their  own  advan- 
tages by  the  nearest  way  ;  and  the  utmost  severity  of 
the  civil  law  is  necessary  to  restrain  individuals  from 
plundering  each  other.  The  restraints  then  necessary, 
are  restraints  from  plunder,  from  acts  of  publick  vio- 
lence, and  undisguised  oppression.  The  ferocity  of  our 
ancestors,  as  of  all  other  nations,  produced  not  fraud, 
but  rapine.  They  had  not  yet  learned  to  cheat,  and  at- 
tempted only  to  rob.  As  manners  grow  more  polished, 
with  the  knowledge  of  good,  men  attain  likewise  dex- 
terity in  evil.  Open  rapine  becomes  less  frequent,  and 
violence  gives  way  to  cunning.  Those  who  before  in- 
vaded pastures  and  stormed  houses,  now  begin  to  en- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  49 

nch  themselves  by  unequal  contracts  and  fraudulent  1772. 
intromissions.     It  is  not  against  the  violence  of  ferocity,  Jj!^ 
but  the  circumventions  of  deceit,  that  this  law   was   63. 
framed  ;  and  1  am  afraid  the  increase  of  commerce,  and 
the  incessant  struggle  for  riches  which  commerce  ex- 
cites, give  us  no  prospect  of  an  end  speedily  to  be  ex- 
pected of  artifice  and  fraud.     It  therefore  seems  to  be 
no  very  conclusive  reasoning,  which  connects  those  two 
propositions  ; — •'  the   nation   is  become  less  ferocious, 
and  therefore  the  laws  against  fraud  and  covin  shall  be 
relaxed.' 

"  Whatever  reason  may  have  influenced  the  Judges 
to  a  relaxation  of  the  law,  it  was  not  that  the  nation  was 
grown  less  fierce  ;  and,  1  am  afraid,  it  cannot  be  affirm- 
ed, that  it  is  grown  less  fraudulent. 

"  Since  this  law  has  been  represented  as  rigorously 
and  unreasonably  penal,  it  seems  not  improper  to  con- 
sider what  are  the  conditions  and  qualities  that  make 
the  justice  or  propriety  of  a  penal  law. 

"  To  make  a  penal  law  reasonable  and  just,  two 
conditions  are  necessary,  and  two  proper.  It  is  neces- 
sary that  the  law  should  be  adequate  to  its  end  ;  that, 
if  it  be  observed,  it  shall  prevent  the  evil  against  which 
it  is  directed.  It  is,  secondly,  necessary  that  the  end 
of  the  law  be  of  such  importance,  as  to  deserve  the  se- 
curity of  a  penal  sanction.  The  other  conditions  of  a 
penal  law,  which  though  not  absolutely  necessary,  are 
to  a  very  high  degree  fit,  are,  that  to  the  moral  violation 
of  the  law  there  are  many  temptations,  and  that  of  the 
physical  observance  there  is  great  facility. 

"  All  these  conditions  apparently  concur  to  justify 
the  law  which  we  are  now  considering.  Its  end  is  the 
security  of  property  ;  and  property  very  often  of  great 
value.  The  method  by  which  it  effects  the  security  is 
efficacious,  because  it  admits,  in  its  original  rigour,  no 
gradations  of  injury  ;  but  keeps  guilt  and  innocence 
apart,  by  a  distinct  and  definite  limitation.  He  that  in-  . 
tromits,  is  criminal ;  he  that  intromits  not,  is  innocent. 
Of  the  two  secondary  considerations  it  cannot  be  deni- 
ed that  both  are  in  our  favour.  The  temptation  to  in- 
tromit is  frequent  and  strong :  so  strong  and  so  fre- 

VOL.  ir.  7 


50  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  quent,  as  to  require  the  utmost  activity  of  justice,  and 
^^  vigilance  of  caution,  to  withstand  its  prevalence  ;  and 
63.  the  method  by  which  a  man  may  entitle  himself  to  legal 
intromission,  is  so  open  and  so  facile,  that  to  neglect  it 
is  a  proof  of  fraudulent  intention  ;  for  why  should  a 
man  omit  to  do  (but  for  reasons  which  he  will  not  con- 
fess,) that  which  he  can  do  so  easily,  and  that  which  he 
knows  to  be  required  by  the  law  ?  If  temptation  were 
rare,  a  penal  law  might  be  deemed  unnecessary.  If 
the  duty  enjoined  by  the  law  were  of  diihcult  perform- 
ance, omission,  though  it  could  not  be  justified,  might 
be  pitied.  But  in  the  present  case,  neither  equity  nor 
compassion  operate  against  it.  A  useful,  a  necessary 
law  is  broken,  not  only  without  a  reasonable  motive,  but 
with  all  the  inducements  to  obedience  that  can  be  de- 
rived from  safety  and  facility. 

"  1  therefore  return  to  my  original  position,  that  a 
law,  to  have  its  effects,  must  be  permanent  and  stable. 
It  may  be  said,  in  the  language  of  the  schools.  Lex  non 
recipit  majus  et  minus, — we  may  have  a  law,  or  we  may 
have  no  law,  but  we  cannot  have  half  a  law.  AVe  must 
either  have  a  rule  of  action,  or  be  permitted  to  act  by 
discretion  and  by  chance.  Deviations  from  the  law 
must  be  uniformly  punished,  or  no  man  can  be  certain 
when  he  shall  be  safe. 

"  That  from  the  rigour  of  the  original  institution  this 
Court  has  sometimes  departed,  cannot  be  denied.  But, 
as  it  is  evident  that  such  deviations,  as  they  make  law 
uncertain,  make  life  unsafe,  I  hope,  that  of  departing 
from  it  there  will  now  be  an  end  ;  that  the  wisdom  of 
our  ancestors  will  be  treated  with  due  reverence  ;  and 
that  consistent  and  steady  decisions  will  furnish  the 
people  vvith  a  rule  of  action,  and  leave  fraud  and  fraud- 
ulent intromissions  no  future  hope  of  impunity  or  es- 
cape.^^ 

With  such  comprehension  of  mind,  and  such  clear- 
ness of  penetration,  did  he  thus  treat  a  subject  altogeth- 
er new  to  him,  without  any  other  preparation  than  my 
having  stated  to  him  the  arguments  which  had  been 
used  on  each  side  of  the  question.     His  intellectual 


OR.    JOHNSON.  dl 

}>ovvcis  appeared  with  peculiar  lustre,  when  tried  against  >773. 
those  of  a  writer  of  such  fame  as  Lord  Karnes,  and  that  ^i^ 
too  in  his  Lordsliip's  own  department.  cy.i. 

This  masterly  argument,  after  being  i)refaced  anil 
concluded  with  some  sentences  of  my  own,  and  gar- 
nislutl  with  the  usual  formularies,  was  actually  printed 
and  laid  before  the  J^ords  of  Session,  but  without  suc- 
cess. My  respected  friend  Lord  Hailes,  however,  one 
of  that  honourable  body,  had  critical  sagacity  enough  to 
discover  a  more  than  ordinary  hand  in  the  Fefif'ton.  I 
told  him  Dr.  Johnson  had  favoured,  me  with  his  pen. 
liis  l^ordship,  with  wonderful  acumen^  pointed  out  ex- 
actly where  his  composition  began,  and  where  it  ended. 
But  that  1  may  do  impartial  justice,  and  conform  to  the 
great  rule  of  Courts,  Smun  cuiqiie  tribuito^  1  must  add, 
that  their  Lordships  in  general,  though  they  were  pleas- 
ed to  call  this  "  a  well-drawn  paper,"  preferred  the 
former  very  inferiour  petition  which  I  had  written  ; 
thus  confirmincr  the  truth  of  an  observation  made  to  me 
by  one  of  their  number,  in  a  merry  mood  :  "  My  dear 
Sir,  give  yourself  no  trouble  in  the  composition  of  the 
papers  you  present  to  us  ;  for,  indeed,  it  is  casting- 
pearls  before  svvine.^^ 

I  renewed   my  solicitations  that  Dr.  Johnson  would 
this  year  accomplish  his  long-intended  visit  to  Scotland. 

"  TO  JAMES    BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  The  regret  has  not  been  little  wnth  which  I  have 
missed  a  journey  so  pregnant  with  pleasing  expecta- 
tions, as  that  in  which  I  could  promise  myself  not  only 
the  gratification  of  curiosity,  both  rational  and  fanciful, 
but  the  delight  of  seeing  those  whom  1  love  and  esteem. 
*****♦#****      |],j|^  such  has  been  the  course 

of  things,  that  I  could  not  come  ;  and  such  has  been,  [ 
am  afraid,  the  state  of  my  body,  that  it  would  not  well 
have  seconded  my  inclination.  My  body,  1  think, 
grows  better,  and  I  refer  my  hopes  to  another  year ;  for 
1  am  very  sincere  in  my  design  to  pay  the  visit,  and 
take  thp  ramble.     In  the  mean  time,  do  not  omit  any 


52  THE    LIFE    OF 

1772.  Opportunity  of  keeping  up  a  favourable  opinion  of  me 
^^  in  the  minds  of  any  of  my  friends.     Beattie's  book  is,  I 
63.    believe,  every  day  more  liked  ;    at  least,  I  like  it  more, 
as  I  look  more  upon  it. 

"  1  am  glad  if  you  got  credit  by  your  cause,  and  am 
yet  of  opinion  that  our  cause  was  good,  and  that  the 
determination  ought  to  have  been  in  your  favour.  Poor 
Hastie,  I  think,  had  but  his  deserts. 

"  You  promised  to  get  me  a  little  Pindar,  you  may 
add  to  it  a  little  Anacreon. 

''  The  leisure  which  I  cannot  enjoy,  it  will  be  a 
pleasure  to  hear  that  you  employ  upon  the  antiquities 
of  the  feudal  establishment.  The  whole  system  of  an- 
cient tenures  is  gradually  passing  away ;  and  I  wish  to 
have  the  knowledge  of  it  preserved  adequate  and  com- 
plete. For  such  an  institution  makes  a  very  important 
part  of  the  history  of  mankind.  Do  not  forget  a  design 
so  worthy  of  a  scholar  who  studies  the  law  of  his  coun- 
try, and  of  a  gentleman  who  may  naturally  be  curious 
to  know  the  condition  of  his  own  ancestors.  I  am, 
dear  Sir, 

"  Your's  with  great  affection, 
''August  31,  1772.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  TO  DR.  JOHNSON. 

'^  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Edinburgh^  Dec.  25,  1772. 

"  I  WAS  much  disappointed  that  you  did  not  come 

to  Scotland  last  autumn.     However,  I  must  own  that 

your  letter  prevents  me  from  complaining;  not  only 

because  I  am  sensible  that  the  state  of  your  health  was 

but  too  good  an  excuse,  but  because  you  w^rite  in  a 

strain  which  shews  that  you  have  agreeable  views  of 

the  scheme  which  we  have  so  long  proposed. 
****** 

*'  I  communicated  to  Beattie  what  you  said  of  his 
book  in  your  last  letter  to  me.  He  writes  to  me  thus  ; 
'  You  judge  very  rightly  in  supposing  that  Dr.  John- 
son's favourable  opinion  of  my  book  must  give  me  great 
delight,     indeed  it  is  impossible  for  mo  to  say   how 


»3R.    JOHNSON.  53 

much  I  am  gratified  by  it ;  for  there  is  not  a  man  upon  i773. 
earth  whose  good  opinion  1  would  be  more  ambitious  to  ^^ 
cultivate.     His  talents  and  his  virtues  I  reverence  more   Q4,  ' 
than  any  words  can  express.     I'he  extraordinary  civili- 
ties  (the  paternal  attentions  1  should  rather  say,)  and 
the  many  instructions  1  have  had  the  honour  to  receive 
from  him,  will  to  me  be  a  perpetual  source  of  pleasure 
in  the  recollection, 

'  Dum  meinor  ipse  mei,  dum  spiritiis  hos  reget  artus.^ 

'  I  had  still  some  thoughts,  while  the  summer  lasted, 
of  being  obliged  to  go  to  London  on  some  little  busi- 
ness ;  otherwise  1  should  certainly  have  troubled  him 
with  a  letter  several  months  ago,  and  given  some  vent 
to  my  gratitude  and  admiration.  This  I  intend  to  do, 
as  soon  as  I  am  left  a  little  at  leisure.  Mean  time,  if 
you  have  occasion  to  write  to  him,  I  beg  you  will  offet 
him  my  most  respectful  compliments,  and  assure  him 
of  the  sincerity  of  my  attachment  and  the  warmth  of 

my  gratitude." 

****** 

"  I  am,  &c. 

"  James  Hoswell." 

In  1773,  his  only  publication  was  an  edition  of  his 
folio  Dictionary,  with  additions  and  corrections ;  nor 
did  he,  so  far  as  is  known,  furnish  any  productions  of 
his  fertile  pen  to  any  of  his  numerous  friends  or  de- 
pendants, except  the  Preface*'  to  his  old  amanuensis 
Macbean's  "  Dictionary  of  ancient  Geography."  His 
Shakspeare,  indeed,  which  had  been  received  with  high 
approbation  by  the  publick,  and  gone  through  several 
editions,  was  this  year  re-published  by  George  Stee- 
vens,  Esq.  a  gentleman  not  only  deeply  skilled  in  an- 
cient learning,  and  of  very  extensive  reading  in  English 
literature,  especially  the  early  writers,  but  at  the  same 

'  He,  however,  wrote,  or  partly  wrote,  an  Epitaph  on  Mrs.  Bell,  wife  of  his 
friend  John  Bell,  Esq.  brother  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bell,  Prebendary  of  Westminster, 
which  is  printed  in  his  works.  It  is  in  English  prose,  and  has  so  little  of  his  man- 
ner, that  I  did  not  believe  he  had  any  hai^d  in  it,  till  I  Was  satisfied  of  the  fact  by 
:he  authority  of  Mr.  Bell. 


54  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  time  of  acute  discernment  and  elegant  taste.     It  is  al- 
2J^  most  unnecessary  to  say,  that  by  his  great  and  valuable 
64.    additions  to  Dr.  Johnson's  work,  he  justly  obtained 
considerable  reputation  : 

"  Divisum  imperium  cum  Jove  Ccesar  habet." 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  read  your  kind  letter  much  more  than 
the  elegant  Pindar  which  it  accompanied.  I  am  al- 
ways glad  to  find  myself  not  forgotten  ;  and  to  be  for- 
gotten by  you  would  give  me  great  uneasiness.  My 
northern  friends  have  never  been  unkind  to  me  :  I  have 
from  you,  dear  Sir,  testimonies  of  affection,  which  I  have 
not  often  been  able  to  excite  ;  and  Dr.  Beattie  rates 
the  testimony  which  I  was  desirous  of  paying  to  his 
merit,  much  higher  than  I  should  have  thought  it  rea- 
sonable to  expect. 

"  I  have  heard  of  your  masquerade.^  What  says 
your  synod  to  such  innovations  ?  I  am  not  studiously 
scrupulous,  nor  do  I  think  a  masquerade  either  evil  in 
itself,  or  very  likely  to  be  the  occasion  of  evil ;  yet  as 
the  world  thinks  it  a  very  licentious  relaxation  of  man- 
ners,! would  not  have  been  one  oii\\G.Jirst  masquers  in  a 
country  where  no  masquerade  had  ever  been  before.  ^ 

"  A  new  edition  of  my  great  Dictionary  is  printed, 
from  a  copy  which  I  was  persuaded  to  revise  ;  but  hav- 
ing made  no  preparation,  I  was  able  to  do  very  little. 
Some  superfluities  1  have  expunged,  and  some  faults  I 
have  corrected,  and  here  and  there  have  scattered  a  re- 
mark ;  but  the  main  fabrick  of  the  work  remains  as  it 
was.  I  had  looked  very  little  into  it  since  I  wrote  it, 
and,  I  think,  I  found  it  full  as  often  better,  as  worse, 
than  I  expected. 

"Baretti  and  Davies  have  had  afurious  quarrel ;  aquar- 
rel,Ithink,irreconcileable.  Dr.Goldsmithhas  a  new  com- 
edy, which  is  expected  in  the  spring.     No  name  is  yet 

*  Given  by  a  lady  at  Edinburgh. 

'  There  had  been  masquerades  in  Scotland ;  but  not  for  a  very  long  time. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  55 

given  it.     The  chief  diversion  arises  from  a  stratagem  ^773. 
by  which  a  lover  is  made  to  mistake  his  future  father-  ^^ 
in-la\v's  house  for  an  inn.     This,  you  see,  borders  upon    G4. 
farce.     The  dialogue  is  quick  and  gay,  and   the  inci- 
dents are  so  prepared  as  not  to  seem  improbable. 

'•'  I  am  sorry  that  you  lost  your  cause  of  Intromis- 
sion, because  1  yet  think  the  arguments  on  your  side 
unanswerable.  But  you  seem,  1  think,  to  say  that  you 
gained  reputation  even  by  your  defeat ;  and  reputation 
you  will  daily  gain,  if  you  keep  Lord  Auchinleck's  pre- 
cept in  your  mind,  and  endeavour  to  consolidate  in 
your  mind  a  firm  and  regular  system  of  law,  instead  of 
picking  up  occasional  fragments. 

"  My  health  seems  in  general  to  improve  ;  but  I 
have  been  troubled  for  many  weeks  with  a  vexatious 
catarrh,  which  is  sometimes  sufficiently  distressful.  I 
have  not  found  any  great  effects  from  bleeding  and 
physick  ;  and  am  afraid,  that  I  must  expect  help  from 
brighter  days  and  softer  air. 

"  Write  to  me  now  and  then  ;  and  whenever  any  good 
befalls  you,  make  haste  to  let  me  know  it,  for  no  one 
will  rejoice  at  it  more  than,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  London,  Feb.  22,  1773.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  You  continue  to  stand  very  high  in  the  favour  of 
Mrs.  Thrale." 

While  a  former  edition  of  my  work  was  passing 
through  the  press,  I  was  unexpectedly  favoured  with  a 
packet  from  Philadelphia,  from  Mr.  James  Abercrom- 
bie,  a  gentleman  of  that  country,  who  is  pleased  to 
honour  me  with  very  high  praise  of  my  "  Life  of  Dr. 
Johnson."  To  have  the  fame  of  my  illustrious  friend, 
and  his  faithful  biographer,  echoed  from  the  New  World 
is  extremely  flattering ;  and  my  grateful  acknowledge- 
ments shall  be  wafted  across  the  Atlantick.  Mr.  Aber- 
crombie  has  politely  conferred  on  me  a  considerable  ad-  • 
ditional  obligation,  by  transmitting  to  me  copies  of  two 
letters  from  Dr.  Johnson  to  American  gentlemen. 
"  Gladly,  Sir,  (says  he,)  would  I  have  sent  you  the 
originals  :  but  being  the  only  relicks  of  the  kind  in 


6b  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  Ameriica,  they  are  considered  by  the  possessors  of  such 
^g^  inestimable  value,  that  no  possible  consideration  would 
64.  '  induce  them  to  part  with  them.     In  some  future  pub- 
lication of  your^s  relative  to  that  great  and  good  man, 
they  may  perhaps  be  thought  worthy  of  insertion." 

"  TO  MR.  B D.* 

"  SIR, 

"  That  in  the  hurry  of  a  sudden  departure  you 
should  yet  find  leisure  to  consult  my  convenience,  is  a 
degree  of  kindness,  and  an  instance  of  regard,  not  only 
beyond  my  claims,  but  above  my  expectation.  You 
are  not  mistaken  in  supposing  that  1  set  a  high  value 
on  my  American  friends,  and  that  you  should  confer  a 
very  valuable  favour  upon  me  by  giving  me  an  oppor- 
tunity of  keeping  myself  in  their  memory. 

"  I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  troubling  you  with  a 
packet,  to  which  I  wish  a  safe  and  speedy  conveyance, 
because  I  wish  a  safe  and  speedy  voyage  to  him  that 
conveys  it.     I  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Sam.  Johnson. '^ 
"  London,  Johnson's-court^  Fleet-street,  March  4,  177.'^-'' 

"  TO  THE  REVEREND  MR.  WHITE.  ^ 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  Your  kindnessforyour  friends  accompanies  you 
across  the  Atlantick.  It  was  long  since  observed  by 
Horace,  that  no  ship  could  leave  care  behind  :  you 
have  been  attended  in  your  voyage  by  other  powers, — 
by  benevolence  and  constancy ;  and  I  hope  care  did 
not  often  shew  her  face  in  their  company. 

"  I  received  the  copy  of  Rasselas.  The  impression  is 
not  magnificent,  but  it  flatters  an  authour,  because  the 

*  This  gentleman,  who  now  resides  in  America  in  a  publick  character  of  con- 
siderable dignity,  desired  that  his  name  might  not  be  transcribed  at  full  length. 

^  Now  Doctor  White,  and  Bishop  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Pennsylvania. 
During  his  first  visit  to  England  in  1771,  as  a  candidate  for  holy  orders,  he  was 
several  times  in  company  with  Dr.  Johnson,  who  expressed  a  wish  fo  see  the  edi- 
tion of  Rasselas,  which  Dr.  White  told  him  had  been  printed  in  x\merica.  Dr. 
White,  on  hi?  return,  iaunediately  sent  him  a  copy. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  67 

printer  seems  to  have  expected   that   it  would  be  scat-  •773. 
tered  among  the  people.     The  little  book  has  been  well  ^^ 
received,  and  is  translated  into  Italian,  French,  German,    04. 
and  Dutch.     It  has  now  one  honour  more  by  an  Amer- 
ican edition. 

"  1  know  not  that  much  has  happened  since  your  de- 
parture that  can  engage  your  curiosity.  Of  all  publick 
transactions  the  whole  world  is  now  informed  by  the 
news-papers.  Opposition  seems  to  despond  ;  and  the 
dissenters,  though  they  have  taken  advantage  of  unset- 
tled times,  and  a  government  much  enfeebled,  seem 
not  likely  to  gain  any  immunities. 

"  Dr.  Goldsmitli  has  a  new  comedy  in  rehearsal  at 
Covent-Garden,  to  which  the  manager  predicts  ill  suc- 
cess. I  hope  he  will  be  mistaken.  1  think  it  deserves 
a  very  kind  reception. 

"  1  shall  soon  publish  a  new  edition  of  my  large  Dic- 
tionary ;  I  have  been  persuaded  to  revise  it,  and  have 
mended  some  faults,  but  added  little  to  its  usefulness. 

"  No  book  has  been  published  since  your  departure, 
of  which  much  notice  is  taken.  Faction  only  fills  the 
town  with  pamphlets,  and  greater  subjects  are  forgotten 
in  the  noise  of  discord. 

"  Thus  have  1  written,  only  to  tell  you  how  little  I 
have  to  tell.  Of  myself  I  can  only  add,  that  having 
been  afflicted  many  weeks  with  a  very  troublesome 
cough,  1  am  now  recovered. 

"  1  take  the  liberty  which  you  give  me  of  troubling 
you  with  a  letter,  of  which  you  will  please  to  fill  up  the 
direction.     I  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Sam.  Johnson." 
'•  Johnsoji's-court^  Fleet-streef^Londoti^  March  4,  1773." 

On  Saturday,  April  3,  the  day  after  my  arrival  in 
London  this  year,  I  went  to  his  house  late  in  the  even- 
ing, and  sat  with  Mrs.  Williams  till  he  came  home.  I 
found  in  the  London  Chronicle,  Dr.  Goldsmith's  apol- 
ogy to  the  publick  for  beating  Evans,  a  bookseller,  on 
account  of  a  paragraph^   in  a  newspaper  published  by 

'  [The  offence  given,  was  a  long  abusive  letter  in  the  London  Packet.    A  par- 
ticular account  of  this  transaction,  and  Goldsmith's  Vindication,  (for  such  it  wis, 

VOL.  n.  8 


38  THE    LIFE    OF 

f  773.  him,  which  Goldsmith  thought  impertinent  to  him  and 
^^  to  a  lady  of  his  acquaintance.  The  apology  was  writ- 
64.  ten  so  much  in  Dr.  Johnson's  manner,  that  both  Mrs. 
Williams  and  I  supposed  it  to  be  his  ;  but  when  he 
came  home,  he  soon  undeceived  us.  When  he  said  to 
Mrs.  Williams,  "  Well,  Dr.  Goldsmith's  manifesto  has 
got  into  your  paper ;"  I  asked  him  if  Dr.  Goldsmith 
had  written  it,  with  an  air  that  made  him  see  I  suspect- 
ed it  was  his,  though  subscribed  by  Goldsmith.  John- 
son. "  Sir,  Dr.  Goldsmith  would  no  more  have  asked 
me  to  write  such  a  thing  as  that  for  him,  than  he  would 
have  asked  me  to  feed  him  with  a  spoon,  or  to  do  any 
thing  else  that  denoted  his  imbecility.  I  as  much  be- 
lieve that  he  wrote  it,  as  if  I  had  seen  him  do  it.  Sir, 
had  he  shown  it  to  any  one  friend,  he  would  not  have 
been  allowed  to  publish  it.  He  has,  indeed,  done  it 
very  well ;  but  it  is  a  foolish  thing  well  done.  I  sup- 
pose he  has  been  so  much  elated  with  the  success  of 
his  new  comedy,  that  he  has  thought  every  thing  that 
concerned  him  must  be  of  importance  to  the  publick.'' 
BoswELL.  "  1  fancy.  Sir,  this  is  the  first  time  that  he 
has  been  engaged  in  such  an  adventure.''  Johnson. 
"  Why,  Sir,  1  believe  it  is  the  first  time  he  has  beaf  : 
he  may  have  been  beaten  before.  This,  Sir,  is  a  new 
plume  to  him." 

I  mentioned   Sir   John    Dalrymple's    "  Memoirs  of 
Great-Britain  and  Ireland,"  and  his  discoveries  to  the 
prejudice  of  Lord  Russel  and  Algernon  Sydney.  John- 
son.   "  Why,  Sir,  every  body  who  had  just  notions  of 
Government  thought  them  rascals  before.     It  is  well 
that  all  mankind  now  see  them  to  be  rascals."     Bos- 
well.   "  But,  Sir,  may  not  those  discoveries  be  true 
without  their  being  rascals!"     Johnson.  "Consider, 
Sir ;  would  any  of  them  have  been  willing  to  have  had 
it  known  that  they  intrigued  with  France  \  Depend  up- 
(  on   it.  Sir,   he   who  does  what   he  is  afraid  should  be 
V  known,  has  something  rotten  about  him.    This  Dalrym- 
^le  seems  to  be  an  honest  fellow  ;  for  he  tells  equally 
what  makes  against  both  sides.     Rut  nolhmg  can   be 

rather  than  an  Apology,)  may  ba  found  in  the  new  I-ife  of  tfiat  Poet,  prefixed  t(.» 
his  Miscellaiieous  Works  in  4  vols.  8vo.  pp.  IOj— 108,     M.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  .59 

poorer  than  his  mode  of  writing,  it  is  the  mere  bonne-  V773. 
ing  of  a  school-boy  :  Great  lie  !  ^  but  greater  She  !  and  ^(^ 
such  stuti"."  (j4. 

1  could  not  agree  with  him  in  this  criticism  ;  for 
though  Sir  John  Dalrymple's  style  is  not  regularly 
formed  in  any  respect,  and  one  cannot  help  smiling 
sometimes  at  his  atiected  grautliloqiieitce^  there  is  in  his 
writing  a  pointed  vivacity,  and  much  of  a  gentlemanly 
spirit. 

At  Mr.  Thrale's,  in  the  evening,  he  repeated  his 
usual  paradoxical  declamation  against  action  in  publick 
speaking.  "  Action  can  have  no  effect  upon  reasona- 
ble minds.  It  may  augment  noise,  but  it  never  can 
enforce  argument.  If  you  speak  to  a  dog,  you  use  ac- 
tion ;  you  hold  up  your  hand  thus,  because  he  is  a 
brute  ;  and  in  proportion  as  men  are  removed  from 
brutes,  action  will  have  the  less  influence  upon  them."  "^ 
Mrs.  Thrale.  "  What  then,  Sir,  becomes  of  Demost- 
henes's  saying  ^  'Action,  action,  action!"  Johnson. 
"  Demosthenes,  Madam,  spoke  to  an  assembly  of 
brutes  ;  to  a  barbarous  people." 

I  thought  it  extraordinary,  that  he  should  deny  the 
power  of  rhetorical  action  upon  human  nature,  when  it 
is  proved  by  innumerable  facts  in  all  stages  of  society. 
Reasonable  beings  are  not  solely  reasonable.  They 
have  fancies  which  may  be  pleased,  passions  which 
ma}''  be  roused. 

Lord  Chesterfield  being  mentioned,  Johnson  remark- 
ed, that  almost  all  of  that  celebrated  nobleman's  witty 
sayings  were  puns.  He,  however,  allowed  the  merit 
of  good  wit  to  his  Lordship's  saying  of  Lord  Tyrawley 
and  himself,  when  both  very  old  and  infirm  :  "  Ty-  | 
ravvley  and  I  have  been  dead  these  two  years  ;  but  we  1 
don't  choose  to  have  it  known.'* 

He  talked  with  an  approbation  of  an  intended  edition 
of"  The  Spectator,"  with  notes  ;  two  volumes  of  whicf\ 
had  been  prepared  by  a  gentleman  eminent  in  the  lit- 
erary world,  and  the  materials  which  he  had  collected 
for  the  remainder  had  been  transferred  tn  another  hand. 

'  [A bombastick  ode  of  Oldliam's  on  Ben  Jonson,  begins  dius :  "  Great  thou  I" 
which  perhaps  his  namesake  remembered.    M.] 


60  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  He  observed,  that  all  works  which  describe  manners, 
/Etat^  leqiiire  notes  in  sixty  or  seventy  years,  or  less ;  and 
64.  told  us,  he  had  communicated  all  he  knew  that  could 
throw  light  upon  "  The  Spectator."  He  said,  "  Addi- 
son had  made  his  Sir  Andrew  Freeport  a  true  Whig, 
arguing  against  giving  charity  to  beggars,  and  throwing 
out  other  such  ungracious  sentiments  ;  but  that  he  had 
thought  better,  and  made  amends  by  making  him  found 
an  hospital  for  decayed  farmers."  He  called  for  the 
volume  of  "  The  Spectator,"  in  which  that  account  is 
contained,  and  read  it  aloud  to  us.  He  read  so  well, 
that  every  thing  acquired  additional  weight  and  grace 
from  his  utterance. 

The  conversation  having  turned  on  modern  imita- 
tions of  ancient  ballads,  and  some  one  having  praised 
their  simplicity,  he  treated  them  with  that  ridicule 
which  he  always  displayed  when  that  subject  was  men- 
tioned. 

He  disapproved  of  introducing  scripture  phrases  into 
secular  discourse.  This  seemed  to  me  a  question  of 
some  difficulty.  A  scripture  expression  may  be  used, 
like  a  highly  classical  phrase,  to  produce  an  instanta- 
neous strong  impression  ;  and  it  may  be  done  without 
being  at  all  improper.  Yet  1  own  there  is  danger,  that 
applying  the  language  of  our  sacred  book  to  ordinary 
subjects  may  tend  to  lessen  our  reverence  for  it.  If 
therefore  it  be  introduced  at  all,  it  should  be  with  very 
great  caution. 

On  i'hursday,  April  8,  I  sat  a  good  part  of  the  even- 
ing with  him,  but  he  was  very  silent.  He  said,  "  Bur- 
net's *  History  of  his  own  times,^  is  very  entertaining. 
The  style,  indeed,  is  mere  chit-chat.  1  do  not  believe 
that  Burnet  intentionally  lyed  ;  but  he  was  so  much 
prejudiced,  that  he  took  no  pains  to  find  out  the 
truth.  He  was  like  a  man  who  resolves  to  regulate 
his  time  by  a  certain  watch  ;  but  will  not  enquire 
whether  the  watch  is  right  or  not." 

Though  he  was  not  disposed  to  talk,  he  was  unwill- 
ing that  I  should  leave  him  ;  and  when  1  looked  at  my 
watch,  and  told  him  it  was  twelve  o'clock,  he  cried, 
^'  What's  that  to  you  and  me  ?"  and  ordered  Frank  to 


DR.    JOHNSON.  61 

tell  Mrs.  Williams  that  we  were  coming  to  drink  tea  1773. 
with  liir,  which  we  did.  It  was  settled  that  we  should  ^^ 
go  to  church  together  next  day.  64. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  being  (lood  Friday,  1  breakfast- 
ed with  him  on  tea  and  cross-buns  ;  Doctor  Levet  as 
Frank  called  him,  making  the  tea.  He  carried  me  with 
him  to  the  church  of  St.  Clement  Danes,  where  he  had 
his  seat  ;  and  his  behaviour  was,  as  I  had  imaged  to 
myself,  solemnly  devout.  1  never  shall  forget  the  trem- 
ulous earnestness  with  which  he  pronounced  the  awe- 
ful  petition  in  the  Litany  :  "  In  the  hour  of  death,  and 
at  the  day  of  judgement,  good'LoRo  deliver  us.'' 

We  went  to  church  both  in  the  morning  and  evening. 
In  the  interval  between  the  two  services  we  did  not 
dine  ;  but  he  read  in  the  Greek  New  Testament,  and  I 
turned  over  several  of  his  books. 

In  Archbishop  Laud's  Diary,  I  found  the  following 
passage,  which  I  read  to  Dr.  Johnson  : 

"  1623.  February  1,  Sunday,  i  stood  by  the  most 
illustrious  Prince  Charles,  ^  at  dinner.  He  was  then 
very  merry,  and  talked  occasionally  of  many  things 
with  his  attendants.  Among  other  things,  he  said,  that 
if  he  were  necessitated  to  take  any  particular  profession 
of  life,  he  could  not  be  a  lawyer,  adding  his  reasons  : 
'  I  cannot,  (saith  he,)  defend  a  bad,  nor  yield  in  a  good 
cause."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  this  is  false  reasoning  ;  be- 
cause every  cause  has  a  bad  side  :  and  a  lawyer  is  not 
overcome,  though  the  cause  which  he  has  endeavoured 
to  support  be  determined  against  him." 

I  told  him  that  Goldsmith  had  said  to  me  a  few  days 
before,  "  As  1  take  my  shoes  from  the  shoemaker,  and 
my  coat  from  the  taylor,  so  I  take  my  religion  from  the 
priest."  1  regretted  this  loose  way  of  talking.  John- 
son. "  Sir,  he  knows  nothing  ;  he  has  made  up  his 
mind  about  nothing." 

To  my  great  surprize  he  asked  me  to  dine  with  him 
on  Easter-day.  I  never  supposed  that  he  had  a  dinner 
at  his  house  ;  for  1  had  not  then  heard  of  any  one  of 
his  friends  having  been  entertained  at  his  table.  He 
told  me,  "  I  generally  have  a  meat  pye  on  Sunday  :  it 

Afterwards  Ch^xles  I 


62  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  is  baked  at  a  publick  oven,  which  is  very  properly  al- 
StaT  ^o^^^»  because  one  man  can  attend  it  ;    and  thus  the 
64.    advantage  is  obtained   of  not  keeping  servants  from 
church  to  dress  dinners." 

April  11,  being  Easter-Sunday,  after  having  attended 
Divine  Service  at  St.  Paul's,  1  repaired  to  Dr.  Johnson's. 
I  had  gratified  my  curiosity  much  in  dining  with  Jean 
Jaques  Rousseau,  while  he  lived  in  the  wilds  of  Neuf- 
chatel :  I  had  as  great  a  curiosity  to  dine  with  Dr. 
Samuel  Johnson,  in  the  dusky  recess  of  a  court  in 
Fleet-street.  I  supposed  we  should  scarcely  have 
knives  and  forks,  and  only  some  strange,  uncouth,  ill- 
drest  dish  :  but  I  found  every  thing  m  very  good  order. 
We  had  no  other  company  but  Mrs.  Williams  and  a 
young  woman  whom  I  did  not  know.  As  a  dinner  here 
was  considered  as  a  singular  phenomenon,  and  as  I  was 
frequently  interrogated  on  the  subject,  my  readers  may 
perhaps  be  desirous  to  know  our  bill  of  fare.  Foote,  I 
remember,  in  allusion  to  Francis,  the  tiegro,  was  will- 
ing to  suppose  that  our  repast  was  biack  broth.  But 
the  fact  was,  that  we  had  a  very  good  soup,  a  boiled  leg 
of  lamb  and  spinach,  a  veal  pye,  and  a  rice  pudding. 

Of  Dr.  John  Campbell,  the  authour,  he  said,  "  He  is 
a  very  inquisitive  and  a  very  able  man,  and  a  man  of 
good  religious  principles,  though  1  am  afraid  he  has 
been  deficient  in  practice.  Campbell  is  radically  right ; 
and  we  may  hope,  that  in  time  there  will  be  good  prac- 
tice." 

He  owned  that  he  thought  Hawkesworth  was  one  of 
his  imitators,  but  he  did  not  think  Goldsmith  was. 
Goldsmith,  he  said,  had  great  merit.  Boswell.  "But, 
Sir,  he  is  much  indebted  to  you  for  his  getting  so  high 
in  the  publick  estimation."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  he 
has  perhaps,  got  sooner  to  it,  by  his  intimacy  with  me." 

Goldsmith,  though  his  vanity  often  excited  him  to  oc- 
casional competition,  had  a  very  high  regard  for  John- 
son, which  he  had  at  this  time  expressed  in  the  strong- 
est manner  in  the  Dedication  of  his  Comedy,  entitled, 
"  She  Stoops  to  Conquer."' 

«  "  By  iHscribing  this  slight  performance  to  you,  I  do  not  mean  so  much  to  com- 
pliment you  as  myself.     It  may  do  me  some  honour  to  inform  the  publick,  that  ! 


DR.   JOHNSON.  63 

Johnson  observed,  that  there  were  very  few  books  ^11^- 
printed  in  Scotland  before  the  Union,     He  had  seen  a^j'^ 
complete  collection  of  them  in  the  possession  of  the   64. 
Hon.  Archibald   Campbell,  a  non-juring  Bishop.'      I 
wish  this  collection   had  been   kept  entire.     Many  of 
them  are  in  the  library  of  the  Faculty  of  Advocates  at 
Kdinburgh.     1  told  Dr.  Johnson  that  1  had  some  inten- 
tion to  write  the  life  of  the  learned  and  worthy  Thomas 
lluddiman.     He  said,  "  1  should  take  pleasure  in  help- 
ing you  to  do  honour  to  him.     But  his  farewell  letter 
to  the   faculty  of  Advocates,  when  he  resigned  the  of- 
fice of  their  Librarian,  should  have  been  in  Latin." 

I  put  a  question  to  him  upon  a  fact  in  common  life, 
which  he  could  not  answer,  nor  have  1  found  any  one 
else  who  could.  What  is  the  reason  that  women  ser- 
vants, though  obliged  to  be  at  the  expence  of  purchas- 
ing their  own  clothes,  have  much  lower  wages  than  men 
servants,  to  whom  a  great  proportion  of  that  article  is 
furnished,  and  when  in  fact  our  female  house  servants 
work  much  harder  than  the  male?- 

He  told  me  that  he  had  twelve  or  fourteen  times  at- 
tempted to  keep  a  journal  of  his  life,  but  never  could 
persevere.  He  advised  me  to  do  it.  "  The  great  thing 
to  be  recorded,  (said  he,)  is  the  state  of  your  own  mind  ; 
and  you  should  write  down  every  thing  that  you  re- 
member, for  you  cannot  judge  at  first  what  is  good  or 
bad  ;  and  write  immediately  while  the  impression  is 
fresh,  for  it  will  not  be  the  same  a  week  afterwards." 

1  again  solicited  him  to  communicate  to  me  the  par- 
ticulars of  his  early  life.  He  said,  "  You  shall  have 
them  all  for  two-pence.  I  hope  you  shall  know  a  great 
deal  more  of  me  before  you  write  my  Life."  He  men- 
tioned to  me  this  day  many  circumstances,  which  I 
wrote  down  when  I  went  home,  and  have  interwoven 
in  the  former  part  of  this  narrative. 

Iiave  lived  many  years  in  intimacy  with  you.  It  may  serve  the  interest  of  maa-i 
kind  also  to  inform  them,  that  the  greatest  wit  may  be  found  in  a  character,  with- 
out impairing  the  most  unaffected  piety." 

'  See  an  account  of  this  learned  and  respectable  gentleman,  and  of  his  curious 
work  on  the  AiidJU  Stat:,  "  Journal  of  a  Tour  to  the  Hebrides,"  3d  edit.  p.  371. 

J  [There  is  a  greater  variety  of  emplojonents  for  men,  than  for  women  :  there- 
fore the  demand  raiscj  the  price.     K.] 


64  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  On  Tuesday,  April  13,  he  and  Dr.  Goldsmith  and  I 
^J^  dined  at  General  Oglethorpe's.  Goldsmith  expatiated 
64.  on  the  common  topick,  that  the  race  of  our  people  was 
degenerated,  and  that  this  was  owing  to  luxur}^  John- 
son. "  Sir,  in  the  first  place,  1  doubt  the  fact.  1  be- 
lieve there  are  as  many  tall  men  in  England  now,  as 
ever  there  were.  But,  secondly,  supposing  the  stature 
of  our  people  to  be  diminished,  that  is  not  owing  to 
luxury  ;  for,  Sir,  consider  to  how  very  small  a  propor- 
tion of  our  people  luxury  can  reach.  Our  soldiery, 
surely,  are  not  luxurious,  who  live  on  six-pence  a  day ; 
and  the  same  remark  will  apply  to  almost  all  the  other 
classes.  Luxury,  so  far  as  it  reaches  the  poor,  will  do 
good  to  the  race  of  people  ;  it  will  strengthen  and  mul- 
tiply them.  Sir,  no  nation  was  ever  hurt  by  luxury ; 
for,  as  I  said  before,  it  can  reach  but  to  a  very  few.  I 
admit  that  the  great  increase  of  commerce  and  manu- 
factures hurts  the  military  spirit  of  a  people  ;  because 
it  produces  a  competition  for  something  else  than  mar- 
tial honours, — a  competition  for  riches.  It  also  hurts 
the  bodies  of  the  people  ;  for  you  will  observe,  there  is 
no  man  who  works  at  any  particular  trade,  but  you  may 
know  him  from  his  appearance  to  do  so.  One  part  or 
the  other  of  his  body  being  more  used  than  the  rest,  he 
is  in  some  degree  deformed  :  but,  Sir,  that  is  not  luxu- 
ry. A  tailor  sits  cross-legged  ;  but  that  is  not  luxury.^' 
Goldsmith.  "  Come,  you're  just  going  to  the  same 
place  by  another  road."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  I  say 
that  is  not  luxury.  Let  us  take  a  walk  from  Charing- 
cross  to  White-chapel,  through,  I  suppose,  the  great- 
est series  of  shops  in  the  world,  what  is  there  in  any  of 
these  shops,  (if  you  except  gin-shops,)  that  can  do  any 
human  being  any  harm  ?"  Goldsmith.  "  Well,  Sir,  I'll 
accept  your  challenge.  The  very  next  shop  to  North- 
umberland-house is  a  pickle-shop."  Johnson.  "Well, 
Sir  ;  do  we  not  know  that  a  maid  can  in  one  afternoon 
make  pickles  sutlicient  to  serve  a  whole  family  for  a 
year  ?  nay,  that  five  pickle-shops  can  serve  all  the  king- 
dom ?  Besides,  Sir,  there  is  no  harm  done  to  any  body- 
by  the  making  of  pickles,  or  the  eating  of  pickles." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  65 

We  drank  tea  with  the  ladies  ;  and  Goldsmith  sung  1773. 
Tony  Lumpkin's  song  in  his  comedy,  "  She  Stoops  to  ^^^^ 
Conquer/'  and  a  very  pretty  one,  to  an  Irish  tunc,'    G4. 
which    he   had  designed   tor    Miss  Hardcastle  !   but  as 
Mrs.  Bulkeley,  who  played  the  part,  could  not  sing,  it 
was  left  out.     He  afterwards  wrote  it  down  for  me,  by 
which  means  it  was  preserved,  and  now  appears  amongst 
his  poems.     Dr.  Johnson,  in  his  way  home,  stopped  at 
my  lodgings  in  Piccadilly,  and  sat  with  me,  drinking  tea 
a  second  time,  till  a  late  hour. 

I  told  him  that  Mrs.  Macaulay  said,  she  wondered 
how  he  could  reconcile  his  political  principles  with  his 
moral ;  his  notions  of  inequality  and  subordination  with 
wishing  well  to  the  happiness  of  all  mankind,  who  might 
live  so  agreeably,  had  they  all  their  portions  of  land,  and 
none  to  domineer  over  another.  Johnson.  "  Why, 
Sir,  I  reconcile  my  principles  very  well,  because  man- 
kind are  happier  in  a  state  of  inequality  and  subordina- 
tion. Were  they  to  be  in  this  pretty  state  of  equality, 
they  would  soon  degenerate  into  brutes  ; — they  would 
become  Monboddo's  nation  ; — their  tails  would  grow. 
Sir,  all  would  be  losers,  were  all  to  work  for  all : — they 
would  have  no  intellectual  improvement.  All  intellec- 
tual improvement  arises  from  leisure  :  all  leisure  arises 
from  one  working  for  another." 

Talking  of  the  family  of  Stuart,  he  said,  "  It  should 
seem  that  the  family  at  present  on  the  throne  has  now 
established  as  good  a  right  as  the  former  family,  by  the 
long  consent  of  the  people ;  and  that  to  disturb  this 
right  might  be  considered  as  culpable.  At  the  same 
time  1  own,  that  it  is  a  very  difficult  question,  when 
considered  with  respect  to  the  house  of  Stuart.  To 
oblige  people  to  take  oaths  as  to  the  disputed  right,  is 
wrong.  I  know  not  whether  I  could  take  them  :  but  I 
do  not  blame  those  who  do."  So  conscientious  and  so 
delicate  was  he  upon  this  subject,  which  has  occasion- 
ed so  much  clamour  against  him. 

Talking  of  law  cases,  he  said,  "  The  English  reports, 
in  general,  are  very  poor :  only  the  half  of  what  has 

■  The  humours  of  Ballamagairy. 

VOL.  ir.  9 


65  TBE    LIFE    OF 

J 773.  been  said  is  taken  down  ;  and  of  that  half,  much  is  mis- 
iEtaT  t^l^^n.     Whereas,  in  Scotland,  the  arguments  on  each 
64.  *  side  are  deliberately  put  in  writing,  to  be  considered  by 
the  court.     1  think  a  collection  of  your  cases  upon  sub- 
jects of  importance,  with  the  opinions  of  the  Judges 
upon  them,  would  be  valuable." 

On  Thursday,  April  15,  1  dined  with  him  and  Dr. 
Goldsmith  at  General  Paoli's.  We  found  here  Signor 
MartineHi,  of  Florence,  authour  of  a  History  of  England 
in  Italian,  printed  at  London. 

I  spoke  of  Allan  Ramsay's  "  Gentle  Shepherd,"  in 
the  Scottish  dialect,  as  the  best  pastoral  that  had  ever 
been  written  ;  not  only  abounding  with  beautiful  rural 
imagery,  and  just  and  pleasing  sentiments,  but  being  a 
real  picture  of  manners  ;  and  1  offered  to  teach  Dr. 
Johnson  to  understand  it.  "  No,  Sir,  (said  he,)  1  won't 
learn  it.  You  shall  retain  your  superiority  by  my  not 
knowing  it." 

This  brought  on  a  question  whether  one  man  is  les- 
sened by  another's  acquiring  an  equal  degree  of  knowl- 
edge with  him.  Johnson  asserted  the  affirmative.  I 
maintained  that  the  position  might  be  true  in  those 
kinds  of  knowledge  which  produce  wisdom,  power,  and 
force,  so  as  to  enable  one  man  to  have  the  government 
of  others  ;  but  that  a  man  is  not  in  any  degree  lessened 
by  others  knowing  as  well  as  he  what  ends  in  mere 
pleasure  : — eating  fine  fruits,  drinking  delicious  wines, 
reading  exquisite  poetry." 

The  General  observed,  that  MartineHi  was  a  Whig. 
Johnson.  "  I  am  sorry  for  it.  It  shews  the  spirit  of 
the  times :  he  is  obhged  to  temporise."  Boswell. 
"  I  rather  think,  Sir,  that  Toryism  prevails  in  this 
reign."  Johnson.  "  1  know  not  why  you  should 
think  so.  Sir.  You  see  your  friend  Lord  Lyttelton,  a 
nobleman,  is  obliged  in  his  History  to  write  the  most 
vulgar  Whigorisin." 

An  animated  debate  took  place  whether  MartineHi 
should  continue  his  History  of  England  to  the  present 
day.  Goi.DSMiTH.  "  To  be  sure  he  should."  John- 
son. "  No,  Sir  ;  he  would  give  great  offence.  He 
would  have  to  tell  of  almost  all  the  living  great  what 


DR.    JOHNSON.  67 

they  do  not  wish  told.*'  GoldSiMITh.  "  It  may,  per- 1/73. 
haps,  be  necessary  for  a  native  to  be  more  cautious ;  ^[^ 
but  a  foreigner  who  comes  among  us  without  prejudice,  64. 
may  be  considered  as  holding  the  place  of  a  Judge,  and 
may  speak  his  mind  freely."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  a  for- 
eigner, when  he  sends  a  work  from  the  press,  ought  to 
be  on  his  guard  against  catching  the  errour  and  mistak- 
en enthusiasm  of  the  people  among  whom  he  happens 
t^  be."  Goldsmith.  "  Sir,  he  wants  only  to  sell  his 
history,  and  to  tell  truth ;  one  an  honest,  the  other  a 
laudable  motive."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  they  are  both  laud- 
able motives.  It  is  laudable  in  a  man  to  wish  to  live  by 
his  labours  ;  but  he  should  write  so  as  he  may  /ive  by 
them,  not  so  as  he  may  be  knocked  on  the  head.  I 
would  advise  him  to  be  at  Calais  before  he  publishes 
his  history  of  the  present  ^e.  A  foreigner  who  attach- 
es himself  to  a  political  party  in  this  country,  is  in  the 
w^orst  state  that  can  be  imagined  :  he  is  looked  upon  as  a 
mere  intermeddler.  A  native  may  do  it  from  interest." 
BoswELL.  "  Or  principle."  Goldsimith.  "There  are 
people  who  tell  a  hundred  political  lies  every  day,  and 
are  not  hurt  by  it.  Surely,  then,  one  may  tell  truth 
with  safety."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  in  the  first  place, 
he  who  tells  a  hundred  lies  has  disarmed  the  force 
of  his  lies.  But  besides  ;  a  man  had  rather  have  a  hun- 
dred lies  toldof  him,  than  one  truth  which  he  does  not 
wish  should  be  told."  Goldsmith.  "  For  my  part,  Fd 
tell  truth,  and  shame  the  devil."  Johnson.  "  Yes, 
Sir  ;  but  the  devil  will  be  angry.  I  wish  to  shame  the 
devil  as  much  as  you  do,  but  1  should  choose  to  be  out 
of  the  reach  of  his  claws."  Goldsmith.  "  His  claws 
can  do  you  no  harm,  when  you  have  the  shield  of 
truth." 

It  having  been  observed  that  there  was  little  hospital- 
ity in  London  ;  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  any  man  who 
has  a  name,  or  who  has  the  power  of  pleasing,  will  be 
very  generally  invited  in  London.  The  man,  Sterne,  I 
have  been  told,  has  had  engagements  for  three  months." 
Goldsmith.  "  And  a  very  dull  fellow."  Johnson. 
"  Why,  no,  Sir." 


68  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  Martinelli  told  us,  that  for  several  years  he  lived 
^^  much  with  Charles  Townshend,  and  that  he  ventured 
64.  to  tell  him  he  was  a  bad  joker.  Johnson.  "Why, 
Sir,  thus  much  I  can  say  upon  the  subject.  One  day 
he  and  a  few  more  agreed  to  go  and  dine  in  the  coun- 
try,  and  each  of  them  was  to  bring  a  friend  in  his  car- 
riage with  him.  Charles  Townshend  asked  Fitzherbert 
to  go  with  him,  but  told  him,  "  You  must  find  some- 
body to  bring  you  back  :  1  can  only  carry  you  there." 
Fitzherbert  did  not  much  like  this  arrangement.  He 
however,  consented,  observing  sarcastically,  '  It  will  do 
very  well ;  for  then  the  same  jokes  will  serve  you  in  re- 
turning as  in  going." 

An  eminent  publick  character  being  mentioned  ; — 
Johnson.  "  1  remember  being  present  when  he  shewed 
himself  to  be  so  corrupted,  or  at  least  something  so  dif- 
ferent from  what  I  think  right,  as  to  maintain,  that  a 
member  of  parliament  should  go  along  with  his  party 
right  or  wrong.  Now,  Sir,  this  is  so  remote  from  na- 
tive virtue,  from  scholastick  virtue,  that  a  good  man 
must  hav^e  undergone  a  great  change  before  he  can 
reconcile  himself  to  such  a  doctrine.  It  is  maintaining: 
that  you  may  lie  to  the  publick  ;  for  you  lie  when  you 
call  that  right  which  you  think  wrong,  or  the  reverse. 
A  friend  of  ours,  who  is  too  much  an  echo  of  that  gen- 
tleman, observed,  that  a  man  who  does  not  stick  uni- 
formly to  a  party,  is  only  waiting  to  be  bought.  Why 
then,  said  I,  he  is  only  waiting  to  be  what  that  gentle- 
man is  already." 

We  talked  of  the  King's  coming  to  see  Goldsmith's 
new  play. — "  I  wish  he  would,"  said  Goldsmith  ;  add- 
ing, however,  with  an  affected  indifterence,  "  Not  that 
it  would  do  me  the  least  good."  Johnson.  "  Well 
then.  Sir,  let  us  say  it  would  do  him  good,  (laughing.) 
No,  Sir,  this  affectation  will  not  pass; — it  is  mighty 
idle.  In  such  a  state  as  ours,  who  would  not  wish  to 
please  the  Chief  Magistrate  !"  Goldsmith.  "  I  do 
wish  to  please  him,     1  remember  a  line  in  Dryden, 

'  And  every  poet  is  the  monarch's  friend.' 

It  ought  to  be  reversed."     Johnson.  "Nay,  there  are 
^ner  lines  in  Dryden  on  this  subject  : 


DR.    JOHNSON.  69 

'  For  colleges  on  bounteous  Kings  depend,  1773. 

*  And  never  rebel  was  lo  arts  a  friend."  ^^J^ 

General  Paoli  observed,  that  successful  rebels  might.  64. 
Mautinelli.  "  Happy  rebellions."  Goldsmith. 
"  We  have  no  such  phrase."  General  Paoli.  "  But 
have  you  not  the  thing  /"  Goldsmith.  "  Yes  ;  all 
our  fuippif  revolutions.  Ihey  have  hurt  our  constitu- 
tion, and  will  hurt  it,  till  we  mend  it  by  another  hap- 
py REVOLUTION." — I  Hcver  before  discovered  that  my 
friend  Goldsmith  had  so  much  of  the  old  prejudice  in 
him. 

General  Paoli,  talking  of  Goldsmith's  new  play,  said, 
"  //  a  fait  un  compliment  trhs  gracieux  d  une  certaine 
grande  (lame  ;"  meaning  a  Duchess  of  the  first  rank. 

1  expressed  a  doubt  whether  Goldsmith  intended  it, 
in  order  that  I  might  hear  the  truth  from  himself.  It, 
perhaps,  was  n(U  quite  fair  to  endeavour  to  bring  him  to 
a  confession,  as  he  might  not  wish  to  avow  positively 
his  taking  part  against  the  Court.  He  smiled  and  hes- 
itated. The  General  at  once  relieved  him,  by  this 
beautiful  imaofe  :  "  Monsieur  Goldsmith  est  comme  la 
w<?r,  qui  jefte  des  perles  et  beau-coup  d^cmf res  belles  cha- 
ses^ sans  s''en  (tppercevoir."  Goldsmith.  "  Tr^s  bien 
dit,  et  trh  e'e-^amment.^^ 

A  person  was  mentioned,  who  it  was  said  could  take 
down  in  short  hand  the  speeches  in  parliament  with 
perfect  exactness.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  it  is  impossible. 
I  remember  one  Angel,  who  came  to  me  to  write  for 
him  a  Preface  or  Dedication  to  a  book  upon  shorthand, 
and  he  professed  to  write  as  fast  as  a  man  could  speak. 
In  order  to  try  him,  1  took  down  a  book,  and  read  while 
he  wrote  ;  and  I  favoured  him,  for  1  read  more  delibe- 
rately than  usual.  1  had  proceeded  but  a  very  little 
way,  when  he  begged  1  would  desist,  for  he  could  not 
follow  me."  Hearing  now  for  the  first  time  of  this 
Preface  or  Dedication,  I  said,  "  What  an  expence.  Sir, 
do  you  put  us  to  in  buying  books,  to  which  you  have 
written  Prefiices  or  Dedications."  Johnson.  "  Why  I 
have  dedicated  to  the  Royal  Family  all  round  ;  that  is 
to  say,  to  the  last  generation  of  the  Royal  Family." 
Goldsmith.  "  And  perhaps,  Sir,  not  one  sentence  of 


70  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  wit  in  a  whole  Dedication."     Johnson.  ^' Perhaps  not, 

^^  Sir."     BoswELL.  "  What  then  is  the  reason  for  apply- 

64.    ing  to  a  particular  person  to  do  that  which  any  one  may 

do  as  well  ?"   Johnson.    "  Why,  Sir,   one   man    has 

greater  readiness  at  doing  it  than  another." 

I  spoke  of  Mr.  Harris,  of  Salisbury,  as  being  a  very 
learned  man,  and  in  particular  an  eminent  Grecian. 
Johnson.  "  I  am  not  sure  of  that.  His  friends  give 
him  out  as  such,  but  I  know  not  who  of  his  friends  are 
able  to  judge  of  it."  Goldsmith.  "  He  is  what  is 
much  better  :  he  is  a  worthy  humane  man."  Johnson. 
"  Nay,  Sir,  that  is  not  to  the  purpose  of  our  argument : 
that  will  as  much  prove  that  he  can  play  upon  the  fid- 
dle as  well  as  Giardini,  as  that  he  is  an  eminent  Gre- 
cian." Goldsmith.  "  The  greatest  musical  perform- 
ers have  but  small  emoluments.  Giardini,  I  am  told, 
does  not  get  above  seven  hundred  a  year."  Johnson. 
"  That  is  indeed  but  little  for  a  man  to  get,  who  does 
best  that  which  so  many  endeavour  to  do.  There  is 
nothing,  I  think,  in  which  the  power  of  art  is  shown  so 
much  as  in  playing  on  the  fiddle.  In  all  other  things 
we  can  do  something  at  first.  Any  man  will  forge  a  bar 
of  iron,  if  you  give  him  a  hammer  ;  not  so  well  as  a 
smith,  but  tolerably.  A  man  will  saw  a  piece  of  wood, 
and  make  a  box,  though  a  clumsy  one  ;  but  give  him  a 
fiddle  and  a  fiddle-stick,  and  he  can  do  nothing." 

On  Monday,  April  19,  he  called  on  me  with  Mrs. 
Williams,  in  Mr.  Strahan's  coach,  and  carried  me  out 
to  dine  with  Mr.  Elphinston,  at  his  Academy  at  Ken- 
sington. A  printer  having  acquired  a  fortune  sufficient 
to  keep  his  coach,  was  a  good  topick  for  the  credit  of 
literature.  Mrs.  Williams  said,  that  another  printer, 
Mr.  Hamilton,  had  not  waited  so  long  as  Mr.  Strahan, 
but  had  kept  his  coach  several  years  sooner.  Johnson. 
"  He  was  in  the  right.  Life  is  short.  The  sooner  that 
a  man  begins  to  enjoy  his  wealth,  the  better." 

Mr.  Elphinston  talked  of  a  new  book  that  was  much 
admired,  and  asked  Dr.  Johnson  if  he  had  read  it. 
Johnson.  "  1  have  looked  into  it."  "  What  (said  El- 
phinston,) have  you  not  read  it  through  !"  Johnson, 
offended  at  being  thus  pressed,  and  so  obliged  to  own 


DR.   JOHNSON.  71 


his  cursory  mode   of  reading,  answered  tartly,  "  No,  1773. 
Sir  ;  do  ifou  read  books  through  /"  ^\^ 

He  this  day  again  defended  duelling,  and  put  his  ar-   64. 
gument  upon  what  I  have  ever  thought  the  most  solid 
basis  ;  that  if  publick  war  be  allowed  to  be  consistent  i 
with  morality,  private  war  must  be  equally  so.     Indeed 
we  may  observe  what  strained  arguments  are  used  to   I 
reconcile  war  with  the  Christian  religion.     But,  in  my  ; 
opinion,  it  is  exceeding  clear  that  duelling  having  bet-  j 
ter  reasons  for  its  barbarous  violence,  is  more  justifi- 
able than  war  in  which  thousands  go  forth  without  any 
cause  of  personal  quarrel,  and  massacre  each  other. 

On  Wednesday,  April  21,  I  dined  with  him  at  Mr. 
Thrale's.  A  gentleman  attacked  Garrick  for  being  vain. 
Johnson.  "  No  wonder.  Sir,  that  he  is  vain  ;  a  man 
who  is  perpetually  flattered  in  every  mode  that  can  be 
conceived.  So  many  bellows  have  blown  the  fire,  that 
one  wonders  he  is  not  by  this  time  become  a  cinder." 
BoswELL.  "  And  such  bellows  too.  Lord  Mansfield 
with  his  cheeks  like  to  burst :  Lord  Chatham  like  an 
i^olus.  1  have  read  such  notes  from  them  to  him,  as 
were  enough  to  turn  his  head."  Johnson.  "True. 
When  he  whom  every  body  else  flatters,  flatters  me,  I 
then  am  truly  happy."  Mrs.  Thrale.  "  The  senti- 
ment is  in  Congreve,  I  think,"  Johnson.  "  Yes, 
Madam,  in  '  The  Way  of  the  World :' 

*  If  there's  delight  in  love,  'tis  when  I  see 

*  That  heart  which  others  bleed  for,  bleed  for  me.* 

No,  Sir,  I  should  not  be  surprised  though  Garrick 
chained  the  ocean  and  lashed  the  winds."  Boswell, 
"  Should  it  not  be,  Sir,  lashed  the  ocean  and  chained 
the  winds]"  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir;  recollect  the  original : 

*  In  Corum  atque  Eurum  solitus  scevire  Jtageliis 
'  BarbaruSy  jEo/io  nunquam  hoc  in  carcere  passos., 
'  Ipsum  compedibus  qui  vinxerat  EunosigceumJ'' 

This  does  very  well,  when  both  the  winds  and  the 
sea  are  personified,  and  mentioned  by  their  mytholog- 
ical names,  as  in  Juvenal;  but  when  they  are  mention- 
ed in  plain  language,  the  application   of  the  epithets 


72  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  suggested  by  me  is  the  most  obvious  ;  and  accordingly 
j^^  my  friend  himself,  in  his  imitation  of  the  passage  which 
64.    describes  Xerxes,  has 

"  The  waves  he  lashes,  and  enchains  the  wind,"* 

The  modes  of  living  in  different  countries,  and  the 
various  views  with  which  men  travel  in  quest  of  new 
scenes,  having  been  talked  of,  a  learned  gentleman  who 
holds  a  considerable  office  in  the  law,  expatiated  on  the 
happiness  of  a  savage  life  ;  and  mentioned  an  instance 
of  an  officer  who  had  actually  lived  for  some  time  in 
the  wilds  of  America,  of  whom,  when  in  that  state,  he 
quoted  this  reflection  with  an  air  of  admiration,  as  if  it 
had  been  deeply  philosophical  :  "  Here  am  I,  free  and 
unrestrained,  amidst  the  rude  magnificence  of  Nature, 
with  this  Indian  woman  by  my  side,  and  this  gun,  with 
which  1  can  procure  food  when  1  want  it :  what  more 
can  be  desired  for  human  happiness  V  It  did  not  re- 
quire much  sagacity  to  foresee  that  such  a  sentiment 
would  not  be  permitted  to  pass  without  due  animad- 
version. Johnson.  "  Do  not  allow  yourself.  Sir,  to  be 
imposed  upon  by  such  gross  absurdity.  It  is  sad  stuff; 
it  is  brutish.  If  a  bull  could  speak,  he  might  as  well 
exclaim, — Here  am  1  with  this  cow  and  this  grass  ; 
what  being  can  enjoy  greater  felicit}'  ?" 

We  talked  of  the  melancholy  end  of  a  gentleman 
who  had  destroyed  himself  Johnson.  "  It  was  owing 
to  imaginary  difficulties  in  his  affairs,  which,  had  he 
talked  of  w^ith  any  friend,  would  soon  have  vanished.^* 
BoswELL.  "  Do  you  think.  Sir,  that  all  who  commit 
suicide  are  madl"  Johnson.  "  Sir,  they  are  often  not 
universally  disordered  in  their  intellects,  but  one  pas- 
sion presses  so  upon  them,  that  they  yield  to  it,  and 
commit  suicide  as  a  passionate  man  will  stab  another." 
He  added,  "  1  have  often  thought,  that  after  a  man  has 
taken  the  resolution  to  kill  himself,  it  is  not  courage  in 
him  to  do  any  thing,  however  desperate,  because  he  has 
nothing  to  fear."     Goldsmith.    "  1  don't  see  that." 

*  [Sq  also  Butler,  Hudibras,  P.  II.  c.  i.  v.  845. 

"  A  Persian  Emperor  tvhij)!  his  grannam, 
The  Sea,  his  mother  Venus  came  on."     M.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  73 

Johnson.  "  Nay,  but  my  dear  Sir,  why  should  not  you  i773. 
see  what  everyone  else  sees  ?"  Goldsmith.  "  '^ '^  ?t^ 
for  fear  of  something  that  he  has  resolved  to  kill  him-  C4. ' 
self:  and  will  not  that  timid  disposition  restrain  him  ?" 
Johnson.  "  It  does  not  signify  that  the  fear  of  some- 
thing made  him  resolve  ;  it  is  upon  the  state  of  his 
mind,  after  the  resolution  is  taken  that  1  argue.  Sup- 
pose a  man  either  from  fear,  or  pride,  or  conscience,  or 
whatever  motive,  has  resolved  to  kill  himself ;  when 
once  the  resolution  is  taken,  he  has  nothing  to  fear. 
He  may  then  go  and  take  the  King  of  Prussia  by  the 
nose,  at  the  head  of  his  army.  He  cannot  fear  the 
rack,  who  is  resolved  to  kill  himself.  When  Eustace 
Budgel  was  walking  down  to  the  Thames,  determined 
to  drown  himself,  he  might,  if  he  pleased,  without  any 
apprehension  of  danger,  have  turned  aside,  and  iirstset 
fire  to  St.  James's  palace." 

On  Tuesday,  April  27,  Mr.  Beauclerk  and  1  called 
on  him  in  the  morning.  As  we  walked  up  .lohnson's- 
court,  I  said,  "  I  have  a  veneration  for  this  court ;" 
and  was  glad  to  find  that  Beauclerk  had  the  same  rev- 
erential enthusiasm.  We  found  him  alone.  We  talk- 
ed of  Mr.  Andrew  Stuart's  elegant  and  plausible  Let- 
ters to  Lord  Mansfield  :  a  copy  of  which  had  been 
sent  by  the  authour  to  Dr.  Johnson.  Joiinson. 
"  They  have  not  answered  the  end.  They  have  not 
been  talked  of;  I  have  never  heard  of  them.  This  is 
owing  to  their  not  being  sold.  People  seldom  read  a 
book  which  is  given  to  them  ;  and  few  are  given.  The 
way  to  spread  a  work  is  to  sell  it  at  a  low  price.  No  man 
will  send  to  buy  a  thing  that  costs  even  six-pence,  with- 
out an  intention  to  read  it."  Boswell.  "  May  it  not  be 
doubted.  Sir,  whether  it  be  proper  to  publish  letters, 
arraigning  the  ultimate  decision  of  an  important  cause 
by  the  supreme  judicature  of  the  nation?"  Johnson. 
*'  No,  Sir,  I  do  not  think  it  was  wrong  to  publish  these 
letters.  If  they  are  thought  to  do  harm,  why  not  an- 
swer them  1  But  they  will  do  no  harm,  if  Mr.  Doug- 
las be  indeed  the  son  of  Lady  Jane  he  cannot  be  hurt : 
if  he  be  not  her  son,  and  yet  has  the  great  estate  of  the 
family  of  Douglas,  he  may  well  submit  to  have  a  pam- 

voL.  ir.  10 


74  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  phlet  against  him  by  Andrew  Stuart.  Sir,  1  think  such 
]JJ^  a  publication  does  good,  as  it  does  good  to  shew  us  the 
64.  '  possibilities  of  human  life.  And,  Sir,  you  will  not  say 
that  the  Douglas  cause  was  a  cause  of  easy  decision, 
when  it  divided  your  Court  as  much  as  it  could  do,  to 
be  determined  at  all.  When  your  Judges  are  seven 
and  seven,  the  casting  vote  of  the  President  must  be 
given  on  one  side  or  other  ;  no  matter,  for  my  argu- 
ment, on  which  ;  one  or  the  other  must  be  taken  ;  as 
when  1  am  to  move,  there  is  no  matter  which  leg  I 
move  first.  And  then,  Sir,  it  was  otherwise  determin- 
ed here.  No,  Sir,  a  more  dubious  determination  of  any 
question  cannot  be  imagined." ^ 

He  said,  "  Goldsmith  should  not  be  for  ever  attempt- 
ing to  shine  in  conversation  :  he  has  not  temper  for  it, 
he  is  so  much  mortified  when  he  fails.  Sir,  a  game  of 
jokes  is  composed  partly  of  skill,  partly  of  chance,  a 
man  may  be  beat  at  times  by  one  who  has  not  the  tenth 
part  of  his  wit.  Now  Goldsmith's  putting  himself 
against  another,  is  like  a  man  laying  a  hundred  to  one 
who  cannot  spare  the  hundred.  It  is  not  worth  a  man's 
while.  A  man  should  not  lay  a  hundred  to  one,  unless 
he  can  easily  spare  it,  though  he  has  a  hundred  chances 
for  him :  he  can  get  but  a  guinea,  and  he  may  lose  a 
hundred.  Goldsmith  is  in  this  state.  When  he  con- 
tends, if  he  gets  the  better,  it  is  a  very  little  addition  to 
a  man  of  his  literary  reputation  :  if  he  does  not  get  the 
better,  he  is  miserabi}^  vexed." 

Johnson's  own  superlative  powers  of  wit  set  him 
above  any  risk  of  such  uneasiness.  Garrick  had  re- 
marked to  me  of  him,  a  few  days  before,  "  Rabelais  and 
all  other  wits  are  nothing  compared  with  him.  You 
may  be  diverted  by  them  ;  but  Johnson  gives  you  a 
forcible  hug,  and  shakes  laughter  out  of  you  whether 
you  will  or  no." 

'  I  regretted  that  Dr.  Johnson  never  took  the  trouble  to  study  a  question  which 
interested  nations.  He  would  not  e»en  read  a  pamphlet  whicli  I  wrote  upon  it, 
entitled  "  The  essence  of  the  Douglas  Cause ;"  which,  I  have  reason  to  flatter  my- 
self, had  considerable  elTect  in  favour  of  Mr.  Douglas  :  of  whose  legitimate  filia- 
tion 1  was  then,  and  am  still,  firmly  convinced.  Let  me  add,  that  no  fact  can  be 
more  respectably  ascertained,  than  by  the  judgement  of  the  most  august  tribunal 
in  the  world  ;  a  judgement  in  which  Lord  Mansfield  and  Lord  Camden  united  in 
1 769, 2U)d  from  wltich  only  £ve  of  a  numerous  body  entered  a  protest. 


UR.   JOHNSON.  7d 

Goldsmith,  however,  was  often  very  fortunate  in  his  ^773. 
witty  contests,  even   when   he  entered  the  hsts  with  ^t^ 
Johnson  himself.     Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  was  in  comj)a-   64. 
ny  with  them  one  day,  when   Goldsmith  said,  that  ht; 
thought  he  could  \yrite  a  good  fable,   mentioned   the 
simplicity  which  that  kind  of  composition  requires,  and 
observed,  that   in   most  fables  the  animals  introduced 
seldom  talk  in  character.     "  For  instance,  (said  he,)  the 
fable  of  the  little  fishes,  who  saw  birds  fly  over  their 
heads,   and  envying  them,    petitioned  Jupiter    to  be 
changed  into  birds.     The  skill  (continued  he,)  consists 
in  makins:  them  talk  like  little  fishes."     While  he  in-  ; 
dulged    himself  in   this  fanciful  reverie,   he  observed 
Johnson  shaking  his  sides,  and  laughing.     Upon  which 
he  smartly  proceeded,  "  Why,  Dr.  Johnson,  this  is  not 
so  easy  as  you  seem  to  think  ;  for  if  you  were  to  make  / 
little  fishes  talk,  they  would  talk  like  whales." 

Johnson,  though  remarkable  for  his  great  variety  of 
composition,  never  exercised  his  talents  in  fable,  except 
we  allow  his  beautiful  tale  published  in  Mrs.  Williams's 
Miscellanies  to  be  of  that  species.  I  have  however, 
found  among  his  manuscript  collections  the  following 
sketch  of  one  : 

"  Glow-worm'^  lying  in  the  garden  saw  a  candle  in  a 
neighbouring  palace, — and  complained  of  the  littleness 
of  his  own  light ; — another  observed — wait  a  little  ; — 
soon  dark, — have  outlasted  to\a  [;««;/y]  of  these  glaring 
lights  which  are  only  brighter  as  they  haste  to  nothing." 

On  Thursday,  April  29,  1  dined  with  him  at  General 
Oglethorpe's,  where  were  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  Mr. 
Langton,  Dr.  Goldsmith,  and  Mr.  Thrale.  I  was  very 
desirous  to  get  Dr.  Johnson  absolutely  fixed  in  his  res- 
olution to  go  with  me  to  the  Hebrides  this  year ;  and 
I  told  him  that  I  had  received  a  letter  from  Dr.  Robert- 
son the  historian,  upon  the  subject,  with  which  he  was 
much  pleased,  and  now  talked  in  such  a  manner  of  his 
long  intended  tour,  that  I  was  satisfied  he  meant  to  fulfil 
his  engagement. 

'  [It  has  already  been  observeJ,  that  one  of  his  first  Essays  was  a  Latin  Poem  on 
a  glow-wonn  ;  but  whether  it  be  any  where  extant,  has  not  been  ascertained.    M.] 


76  THE    LIFE    ta 

1 773.  The  custom  of  eating  dogs  at  Otaheite  being  men- 
^^J^  tioned,  Goldsmith  observed,  that  this  was  also  a  custom 
64.  in  China;  that  a  dog-butcher  is  as  common  there  as 
any  other  butcher ;  and  that  when  he  walks  abroad  all 
the  dogs  fall  on  him.  Johnson.  "  That  is  not  owing 
to  his  killing  dogs,  Sir.  I  remember  a  butcher  at  Lich- 
field, whom  a  dog  that  was  in  the  house  where  I  lived, 
always  attacked.  It  is  the  smell  of  carnage  which  pro- 
vokes this,  let  the  animals  he  has  killed  be  what  they 
may."  Goldsmith.  "  Yes  there  is  a  general  abhor- 
rence in  animals  at  the  signs  of  massacre.  If  you  put  a 
tub  full  of  blood  into  a  stable,  the  horses  are  like  to  go 
mad."  Johnson.  "1  doubt  that."  Goldsmith.  "Nay, 
Sir,  it  is  a  fact  well  authenticated."  Thrale.  "  You 
had  better  prove  it  before  you  put  it  into  your  book  on 
natural  history.  You  may  do  it  in  my  stable  if  you 
will."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  1  would  not  have  him 
prove  it.  If  he  is  content  to  take  his  information  from 
others,  he  may  get  through  his  book  with  little  trouble, 
and  without  much  endangering  his  reputation.  But  if 
he  makes  experiments  for  so  comprehensive  a  book  as 
his,  there  would  be  no  end  to  them  ;  his  erroneous  as- 
sertions would  then  fall  upon  himself;  and  he  might  be 
blamed  for  not  having  made  experiments  as  to  every 
particular." 

The  character  of  Mallet  having  been  introduced,  and 
spokenof  slightingly  by  Goldsmith  ;  Johnson.  "Why, 
Sir,  Mallet  had  talents  enough  to  keep  his  literary  rep- 
utation alive  as  long  as  he  himself  lived  ;  and  that,  let 
me  tell  you,  is  a  good  deal."  Goldsmith.  "  But  1 
cannot  agree  that  it  was  so.  His  literary  reputation 
was  dead  long  before  his  natural  death.  1  consider  an 
authour's  literary  reputation  to  be  alive  only  while  his 
name  will  insure  a  good  price  for  his  copy  from  the 
booksellers.  I  will  get  you  (to  Johnson,)  a  hundred 
guineas  for  any  thing  whatever  that  you  shall  write,  if 
you  put  your  name  to  it." 

Dr.  Goldsmith's  new  play,  "  She  Stoops  to  Conquer," 
being  mentioned  ;  Johnson.  "  1  know  of  no  comedy 
for  many  years  that  has  so  much  exhilarated  an  audi- 


i 


DR.    JOHNSON.  77 

tf  nee,  that  has  answered  so  much  the  great  end  of  com-  1773. 
edy — making  an  audience  merry."  !£at 

Goldsmith  having  said,  tliat  Garrick's  compliment  to  64. 
the  Queen,  which  he  introduced  into  the  play  of  '  The 
Chances,'  which  he  had  altered  and  revised  this  year, 
was  mean  and  gross  flattery  ; — .Iohnson.  "  Why,  Sir, 
I  would  not  K'W/e,  1  would  not  give  solemnly  under  my 
hand,  a  character  beyond  what  1  thought  really  true ; 
but  a  speech  on  the  stage,  let  it  flatter  ever  so  extrava- 
gantly, is  formular.  It  has  always  been  formular  to 
flatter  Kings  and  Queens  ;  so  much  so,  that  even  in  our 
church-service  we  have  '  our  most  religious  King,'  used 
indiscriminately,  whoever  is  King.  Nay,  they  even 
flatter  themselves  ; — '  we  have  been  graciously  pleased 
to  grant.' — No  modern  flattery,  however,  is  so  gross  as 
that  of  the  Augustan  age,  where  the  Emperour  was 
deified.  '  Prcesens  Divus  liabe^jtiir  Augustus.^  And 
as  to  meanness,  (rising  into  warmth,)  how  is  it  mean  in 
a  player, — a  showman, — a  fellow  who  exhibits  himself 
for  a  shilling,  to  flatter  his  Queen  ?  The  attempt,  in- 
deed, was  dangerous;  for  if  it  had  missed,  what  became 
of  Garrick,  and  what  became  of  the  Queen  ?  As  Sir 
William  Temple  says  of  a  great  General,  it  is  necessary 
not  only  that  his  designs  be  formed  in  a  masterly  man- 
ner, but  that  they  should  be  attended  with  success. 
Sir,  it  is  right,  at  a  time  when  the  Royal  Family  is  not 
generally  liked,  to  let  it  be  seen  that  the  people  like  at 
least  one  of  them."  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds.  "  I  do 
not  perceive  why  the  profession  of  a  player  should  be 
despised  ;  for  the  great  and  ultimate  end  of  all  the  em- 
ployments of  mankind  is  to  produce  amusement.  Gar- 
rick produces  more  amusement  than  any  body."  Bos- 
well.  "You  say,  Dr.  Johnson,  that  Garrick  exhibits 
himself  for  a  shilling.  In  this  respect  he  is  only  on  a 
footing  with  a  lawyer  who  exhibits  himself  for  his  fee, 
and  even  will  maintain  any  nonsense  or  absurdity,  if  the 
case  require  it.  Garrick  refuses  a  play  or  a  part  which 
he  does  not  like  :  a  lawyer  never  refuses."  Johnson. 
"  Why,  Sir,  what  does  this  prove  ?  only  that  a  lawyer 
is  worse.  Boswell  is  now  like  Jack  in  '  The  Tale  of  a 
Tub,'  who,  when  he  is  puzzled  by  an  argument,  hangs 


78  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  himself.     He  thinks  I  shall  cut  him  down,  but  Til  let 

^J^  him  hang."    (laughing   vociferously.)       Sir  Joshua 

64.    Reynolds.  "  Mr.  Boswell  thinks  that  the  profession  of 

a  lawyer  being  unquestionably  honourable,  if  he  can 

show  the  profession  of  a  player  to  be  more  honourable, 

he  proves  his  argument." 

On  Friday,  April  ^0,  I  dined  with  him  at  Mr.  Beau- 
clerk's,  where  were  Lord  Charlemont,  Sir  Joshua  Rey- 
nolds, and  some  more  members  of  the  Literary 
Club,  whom  he  had  obligingly  invited  to  meet  me,  as 
I  was  this  evening  to  be  ballotted  for  as  candidate  for 
admission  into  that  distinguished  society.  Johnson  had 
done  me  the  honour  to  propose  me,  and  Beauclerk  was 
very  zealous  for  me. 

Goldsmith  being  mentioned  ;  Johnson.  "  It  is  amaz- 
ing how  little  Goldsmith  knows.  He  seldom  comes 
where  he  is  not  mor^  ignorant  than  any  one  else." 
Sir  Joshua  Reynolds.  "  Yet  there  is  no  man  whose 
company  is  more  liked."  Johnson.  "  To  be  sure.  Sir. 
When  people  find  a  man  of  the  most  distinguished  abil- 
/  ities  as  a  writer,  their  inferiour  while  he  is  with  them, 
^  it  must  be  highly  gratifying  to  them.  What  Goldsmith 
comically  says  of  himself  is  very  true, — he  always  gets 
the  better  when  he  argues  alone  ;  meaning,  that  he  is 
master  of  a  subject  in  his  study,  and  can  write  well  up- 
on it ;  but  when  he  comes  into  company,  grows  con- 
fused, and  unable  to  talk.  Take  him  as  a  poet,  his 
*  Traveller'  is  a  very  fine  performance  ;  ay,  and  so  is  his 
'  Deserted  Village.'  were  it  not  sometimes  too  much  the 
echo  of  his  '  Traveller.'  Whether,  indeed,  we  take  him 
as  a  poet, — as  a  comick  writer, — or  as  an  historian,  he 
stands  in  the  first  class."  Boswell.  "  An  historian  ! 
My  dear  Sir,  you  surely  will  not  rank  his  compilation  of 
the  Roman  History  with  the  works  of  other  historians 
of  this  age  I"  Johnson.  "  Why,  who  are  before  him  ?" 
Boswell.  "Hume,  —  Robertson, — ^Lord  Lyttelton." 
Johnson.  (His  antipathy  to  the  Scotch  beginning  to 
rise.)  *'  1  have  not  read  Hume  ;  but,  doubtless,  Gold- 
smith's History  is  better  tliau  the  verbiage  of  Robert- 
son, or  the  foppery  of  Dalrymple."  Boswell.  "  Will 
you  not  admit  the  superiority  of  Robertson,  in  v/hose 


DR.    JOHNSON.  79 

History,  we  find  such  penetration — such  painting?"  1773. 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  you  must  consider  how  that  pt'netra- ^^ 
tion  and  that  painting  are  employed.  It  is  not  history,  t)4. 
it  is  imagination.  He  who  describes  what  he  never 
saw,  draws  from  fancy.  Robertson  paints  minds  as 
Sir  Joshua  paints  faces  in  a  history-piece  :  he  imagines 
an  heroick  countenance.  You  must  look  upon  Rob- 
ertson's work  as  romance,  and  try  it  by  that  standard. 
History  it  is  not.  Besides,  Sir,  it  is  the  great  excellence 
of  a  writer  to  put  into  his  book  as  much  as  his  book  will 
hold.  Goldsmith  has  done  this  in  his  History.  Now 
Robertson  might  have  put  twice  as  much  into  his  book. 
Robertson  is  like  a  man  who  has  packed  gold  in  wool : 
the  wool  takes  up  more  room  than  the  gold.  No,  Sir  ; 
1  always  thought  Robertson  would  be  crushed  by  his 
own  weight, — would  be  buried  under  his  own  orna- 
ments. Goldsmith  tells  you  shortly  all  you  want  to 
know  :  Robertson  detains  you  a  great  deal  too  long. 
No  man  will  read  Robertson's  cumbrous  detail  a  second 
time  ;  but  Goldsmith's  plain  narrative  will  please  again 
and  again.  1  would  say  to  Robertson  what  an  old  tu- 
tor of  a  college  said  to  one  of  his  pupils  :  '  Read  over 
your  compositions,  and  where  ever  you  meet  with  a  pas- 
sage which  you  think  is  particularly  fine,  strike  it  out.' 
Goldsmith's  abridgement  is  better  than  that  of  Lucius 
Florus  or  Eutropius  ;  and  1  will  venture  to  say,  that  if 
you  compare  him  with  Vertot,  in  the  same  places  of 
the  Roman  History,  you  will  find  that  he  excels  Vertot. 
Sir,  he  has  the  art  of  compiling,  and  of  saying  every 
thing  he  has  to  say  in  a  pleasing  manner.  He  is  now 
writing  a  Natural  History,  and  will  make  it  as  enter- 
taining as  a  Persian  Tale." 

1  cannot  dismiss  the  present  topick  without  observ- 
ing, that  it  is  probable  that  Dr.  Johnson,  who  owned 
that  he  often  "  talked  for  victory,"  rather  urged  plausi- 
ble objections  to  Dr.  Robertson's  excellent  historical 
works,  in  the  ardour  of  contest,  than  expressed  his  real 
and  decided  opinion  ;  for  it  is  not  easy  to  suppose,  that 
he  should  so  widely  differ  from  the  rest  of  the  literary 
world. 


80  THE    LIFE    OP 

1773.      Johnson.  "  i  remember  once  being  with  Goldsmith 
2^J^  in  Westminster-abbey.     While  we  surveyed  the  Poets* 
64,    Corner,  1  said  to  him, 

'  Forsitan  ei  nostrum  nomen  miscebitur  istis? '' 

When  we  got  to  Temple-bar  he  stopped  me,  pointed  to 
the  heads  upon  it,  and  slily  whispered  me, 

'  Forsitan  et  nostrum  nomen  miscebitur  istis.'^ 

Johnson  praised  John  Bunyan  highly.  "  His  '  Pil- 
grim's Progress'  has  great  merit,  both  for  invention, 
imagination,  and  the  conduct  of  the  story  ;  and  it  has 
had  the  best  evidence  of  its  merit,  the  general  and  con- 
tinued approbation  of  mankind.  Few  books,  1  believe, 
4iave  had  a  more  extensive  sale.  It  is  remarkable,  that 
it  begins  very  much  like  the  poem  of  Dante  ;  yet  there 
\  was  no  translation  of  Dante  when  Bunyan  wrote. 
There  is  reason  to  think  that  he  had  read  Spenser." 

A  proposition  which  had  been  agitated,  that  monu- 
ments to  eminent  persons  should,  for  the  time  to  come, 
be  erected  in  St.  Paul's  church  as  well  as  in  Westmin- 
ster-abbey, was  mentioned  ;  and  it  was  asked,  who 
should  be  honoured  by  having  his  monument  first 
erected  there.  Somebody  suggested  Pope.  Johnson. 
"  Why,  Sir,  as  Pope  was  a  Roman  Catholick,  1  would 
not  have  his  to  be  first.  I  think  Milton's  rather  should 
have  the  precedence.'  I  think  more  highly  of  him  now 
than  I  did  at  twenty.  There  is  more  thinking  in  him 
and  in  Butler,  than  in  any  of  our  poets." 

Some  of  the  company  expressed  a  wonder  why  the 
authour  of  so  excellent  a  book  as  '  The  Whole  Duty  of 
Man'  should  conceal  himself.'  Johnson.  "  There 
may  be  different  reasons  assigned  for  this,  any  one  of 

'  OTid.  de  Art.  Amand.  i.  iii.  v.  13. 

» In  allusion  to  Dr.  Johnson's  supposed  political  principles,  and  perhaps  his  own. 

'  Here  is  another  instance  of  his  high  admiration  of  Milton  as  a  Poet,  notwith- 
standing his  just  abhorrence  of  that  sour  Republican's  political  principles.  His 
candour  and  discrimination  are  equally  conspicuous.  Let  us  hear  no  more  of  his 
"injustice  to  Milton." 

'  [In  a  manuscript  in  the  Bodleian  Library  several  circumstances  are  stated, 
which  strongly  incline  me  to  beUeve  that  Dr.  Accepted  Frewen,  Archbishop  of 
York,  was  the  author  of  tliis  work.     M.] 


DK.    JOHNSON.  81 

which  would  bo  very  sufficient,      lie  may  have  been  a  1773. 
clergyman,  and  may   have  thought  that  his  religious  ^J,.^_ 
counsels  would  have  less  weight  when  known  to  come    ((4. 
from  a  man  whoso  profession  wasTheology.    lie  may  have 
been  a  man  whose  practice  was  not  suitable  to  his  prin- 
ciples, so  thar  his  character  miglit  injure  the   effect  of 
his   book,    which   he   had   written  in  a  season  of  peni- 
tence.    Or  he  may  have  been  a  man  of  rigid  self-deni- 
al, so  that  he   would  have  no  reward  for  his  pious  la- 
bours while  in  this  world,  but  refer  it  all  to  a  future 
state." 

The  gentlemen  went  away  to  their  clul),  and  I  was 
left  at  Beauclerk's  till  the  fate  of  my  election  should  be 
announced  to  me.  1  sat  in  a  state  of  anxiety  which 
even  the  charming  conversation  of  Lady  Oi  Beauclerk 
could  not  entirely  dissi|)ate.  In  a  short  time  1  received 
the  agreeal)le  intelligence  that  1  was  chosen.  1  hast- 
ened to  the  place  of  meeting,  and  was  introduced  to 
such  a  society  as  can  seldom  be  found.  Mr.  Edmund 
Burke,  whom  1  then  saw  for  the  first  time,  and  whose 
splendid  talents  had  long  made  me  ardently  wish  for 
his  acquaintance  ;  Dr.  Nugent,  Mr.  Garrick,  Dr.  Gold- 
smith, jNlr.  (afterwards  Sir  William)  Jones,  and  the 
company  with  whom  1  had  dined.  I  pon  my  entrance, 
Johnson  placed  himself  behind  a  chair,  on  which  he 
leaned  as  on  a  desk  or  pulpit,  and  with  humourous  for- 
mality gave  me  a  Chai\u:e^  pointing  out  the  conduct 
expected  from  me  as  a  good  member  of  this  club. 

Goldsmith  produced  some  very  absurd  verses  which 
had  been  publickly  recited  to  an  audience  for  money. 
Johnson.  "  1  can  match  this  nonsense.  There  was  a 
poem  called  '  Eugenio,'  which  came  out  some  years 
ago,  and  concludes  thus  : 

'  And  now,  ye  trifling,  self-assuming  elves, 
'  Brinjful  of  pride,  of  nothing,  of  yourselves, 
'Survey  iMigcnio,  view  him  o'er  and  o'er, 
'  Then  sink  into  yourselves,  and  be  no  more.'"^ 

-  Dr.  Joimson's  memory  here  was  not  perfectly  accurate :  "  Eupfenio"  does  not 
-onclude  thu3.  There  are  ei'.rlit  more  lines  after  the  last  of  those  quoted  by  liim  ; 
and  the  passage  which  he  meant  to  recite  is  as  follows  : 

vol..  TI.  H 


64. 


85^  IHE    LIFE    OF 

^773.  Nay,  Dry  den,  in  his  poem  on  the  Royal  Society,  has 
JTJ^  these  hnes  : 

'  Then  we  upon  our^globe's  last  verge  shall  go, 
'  And  see  the  ocean  leaning  on  the  sky  ; 

'From  thence  our  rolHng  neighbours  we  shall  know, 
'  And  on  the  lunar  world  securely  pry." 

Talking  of  puns,  Johnson  who  had  a  great  contempt 
for  that  species  of  wit,  deigned  to  allow  that  there  was 
one  good  pun  in  "  Menagiana,"  1  think  on  the  word 
corps.  ^ 

Much  pleasant  conversation  passed,  which  Johnson 
relished  with  great  good  humour.  But  his  conversa- 
tion alone,  or  what  led  to  it,  or  was  interwoven  with  it, 
is  the  business  of  this  work. 

On  Saturday,  May  1,  we  dined  by  ourselves  at  our 
old  rendezvous,  the  Mitre  tavern.  He  was  placid,  but 
not  much  disposed  to  talk.  He  observed,  that  "  The 
Irish  mix  better  with  the  English  than  the  Scotch  do; 
their  language  is  nearer  to  English  ;  as  a  proof  of  which, 
they  succeed  very  well  as  players,  which    Scotchmen 

"  Say  now  ye  fluttering,  poor  assuming  elves, 
"  Stark  fuO  of  pride,  of  folly,  of — yourselves  ; 
"  Say  where's  the  wretch  of  all  your  impious  crew 
•'  Who  dares  confront  his  character  to  view  ? 
"  Behold  Eugenio,  view  him  o'er  and  o'er, 
*'  Then  sink  into  yourselves,  and  be  no  more." 

Mr.  Reed  informs  me  that  the  Authour  of  Eugenio,  Thomas  Beech,  a  Wine- 
Merchant  at  Wrexham  in  Denbighshire,  soon  after  its  publication,  viz.  17th  May, 
1737,  cut  his  own  throat  ;  and  that  it  appears  by  Swift's  W'orks,  that  the  poem 
had  been  shewn  to  him,  and  received  some  of  his  corrections.  Johnson  had  read 
"'  Eugenio"  on  his  first  coming  to  town,  for  we  see  it  mentioned  in  one  of  his  let- 
ters to  Mr.  Cave,  which  has  been  inserted  in  this  work. 

3 1  formerly  thought  that  I  had  perhaps  mistaken  the  word,  and  imagined  it  to 
be  Corps,  from  its  similarity  of  sound  to  the  real  one.  For  an  accurate  and  shrewd 
unknown  gentleman,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  some  remarks  on  my  work,  ob- 
serves on  this  passage — "  Q.  if  not  on  the  word,  Foit  ?  A  vociferous  French 
preacher  said  of  Bourdaloue,  '  II  preche/ort  Hen,  et  moi  tnn  fort.' — Menagiana. 
See  also  Anecdotes  Litteraires,  Article,  Bourdaloue."  But  my  ingenious  and 
obliging  correspondent,  Mr.  Abercrombie  of  Philadelphia,  has  pointed  out  to  me 
the  following  passage  in  "  Menagiana  ;"  whicii  renders  the  preceding  conjecture 
unnecessary,  and  confirms  my  original  statement : 

"  Madame  de  Bourdonne,Chanoinesse  de  Remiremont,  venoit  d'entendre  un  dis- 
cours  plein  de  feu  et  d'esprit,  mais  fort  peu  soleid,  et  tres  irregulier.  Une  de  sef 
amies,  qui  y  prenoit  interet  pour  I'orateur,  lui  dit  en  sortant,  '  Eli  bicn,  Madame 
que  vous  sem  ble-t-il  de  ce  que  vous  venez  d'entendre  ?  Qu'il  y  a  d'esprit  ? — 11  y 
a  tant,  repondit  Madame  de  Bourdonne,  que  je  n'y  ai  pas  vu  de  coipi,"  Meuagia- 
n.i,  tome  ii.  p.  64.  Amsterd.  1713. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  88 

(Jo  not.     Then,  Sir,  they  liave  not  tliat  extreme  nation-  '773. 
ality  which  we  find  in  the  Scotch.     1  will  do  you,  iJos-  ^jJJ' 
well,  tlie  justice  to  say,  that  you  are  the  most  unscotti-   64. 
Jie (I  o\^  youx  countrymen.     Vou  are  almost  the  only  in- 
stance of  a  Scotchman  that  I  have  known,  who  did  not 
at  every  other  sentence  bring  in  some  other  Scotch- 
man." 

We  drank  tea  with  Mrs.  Williams.  I  introduced  a 
question  which  has  been  much  agitated  in  the  Church 
of  Scotland,  whether  the  claim  of  lay-patrons  to  present 
ministers  to  parishes  be  well  founded  ;  and  supposing 
it  to  be  well  founded,  whether  it  ought  to  be  exercised 
without  the  concurrence  of  the  people  I  Ihat  Church 
is  composed  of  a  series  of  judicatures  :  a  Presbytery, — 
a  Synod,  and  finally,  a  General  Assembly  ;  before  all  of 
which,  this  matter  may  be  contended  ;  and  in  some 
cases  the  Presbytery  having  refused  to  induct  ov  settle, 
as  they  call  it,  the  person  presented  by  the  patron,  it 
has  been  found  necessary  to  appeal  to  the  General  As- 
sembly. He  said,  1  might  see  the  subject  well  treated 
in  the  "Defence  of  Pluralities;"  and  although  he 
thought  that  a  patron  should  exercise  his  right  with 
tenderness  to  the  inclinations  of  the  people  of  a  parish, 
he  was  very  clear  as  to  his  right.  Then  supposing  the 
question  to  be  pleaded  before  the  General  Assembly, 
he  dictated  to  me  what  follows  ; 

"  Against  the  right  of  patrons  is  commonly  oppos- 
ed, by  the  inferior  judicatures,  the  plea  of  conscience. 
Their  conscience  tells  them,  that  the  people  ought  to 
choose  their  pastor  ;  their  conscience  tells  them  that 
they  ought  not  to  impose  upon  a  congregation  a  minis- 
ter  ungrateful  and  unacceptable  to  his  auditors.  Con- 
science is  nothing  more  than  a  conviction  felt  by  our- 
selves of  something  to  be  done,  or  something  to  be 
avoided  ;  and  in  questions  of  simple  unperplexed  mo- 
rality, conscience  is  very  often  a  guide  that  may  be  trust- 
ed. But  before  conscience  can  determine,  the  state  of 
the  question  is  supposed  to  be  completely  known.  In 
questions  of  law,  or  of  fiict,  conscience  is  very  often  con- 
founded with  opinion.  No  man's  conscience  can  tell 
him  the  right  of  another  man  :  they  must  be  known  by 


84;  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  rational  investigation  or  historical  enquiry.     Opinion, 
iEtaT.  ^^hich  he  that  holds  it  may  call   his  conscience,  may 

64.  teach  some  men  that  religion  would  be  promoted,  and 
quiet  preserved,  by  granting  to  the  people  universally 
the  choice  of  their  ministers.  But  it  is  a  conscience 
very  ill  informed  that  violates  the  ria^hts  of  one  man, 
for  the  convenience  of  another.  Religion  cannot  be 
promoted  by  injustice:  and  it  was  never  yet  found  that 
a  popular  election  was  verv  quietly  transacted. 

"  That  justice  would  be  violated  by  transferring  to 
the  people  the  right  of  patronage,  is  apparent  to  all 
who  know  whence  that  right  had  its  original.  The  right 
of  patronage  was  not  at  first  a  privilege  torn  by  power 
from  unresisting  poverty.  It  is  not  an  authority  at  first 
usurped  in  times  of  ignorance,  and  established  only  by 
succession  and  by  precedents.  It  is  not  a  grant  capri- 
ciously made  from  a  higher  tyrant  to  a  lower.  It  is  a 
right  dearly  purchased  by  the  first  possessors,  and  justly 
inherited  by  those  that  succeeded  them.  When  Chris- 
tianity was  established  in  this  island,  a  regular  mode  of 
publick  worship  was  prescribed.  Publick  worship  re- 
quires a  publick  place  ;  and  the  proprietors  of  lands,  as 
they  were  converted,  built  churches  for  their  tamilies 
and  their  vassals.  For  the  maintenance  of  ministers,  they 
settled  a  certain  portion  of  their  lands  ;  and  a  district, 
through  which  each  minister  v/as  required  to  extend 
his  care,  was,  hy  that  circumscription,  constituted  a 
parish.  T  his  is  a  position  so  generally  received  in  En- 
gland, that  the  extent  of  a  manor  and  of  a  parish  arc 
regularly  received  for  each  other.  The  churches  which 
the  proprietors  of  lands  had  thus  built  and  thus  endow- 
ed, they  justly  thought  themselves  entitled  to  provide 
with  ministers  ;  and  where  the  episcopal  government 
prevails,  the  Bishop  has  no  power  to  reject  a  man  nom- 
inated by  the  patron,  but  for  some  crime  that  might 
exclude  him  from  the  priesthood.  For  the  endowment 
of  the  church  being  the  gift  of  the  landlord,  he  was 
consequently  at  liberty  to  give  it  according  to  his  choice, 
to  any  man  capable  of  performing  the  holy  ofiices. 
The  people  did  not  choose  him,  because  the  people  did 
not  pay  him. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  85 

"  We  hear  it  sometiiiies  urgi'd,  that  this  original  right  1773. 
IS  passed  out  of  memory,  and  is  obhterated  and  obscur-  ^^^ 
ed  bv   many  translations  of  property  and   changes  of  64. 
government  ;    that    scarce  any  church  is   now  in   the 
hands  of  tlie  heirs  of  the  builders  ;  and  that  the  present 
persons  have  entered  subsecjuently  upon  the  pretended 
rights  by  a  thousand  accidental  and  unknown  causes. 
^f  uch  of  this,  perhaps,  is  true.     But  how  is  the  right  of 
patronage  extin^^uislied  ?  if  the  right  followed  the  lands, 
it  is  possessed  by  the  same  equity  by  which   the   lands 
are  possessed.     It  is,  in  effect,  part  of  the   manor,  and 
protected  by  the  same  laws  with  every  other  privilege. 
Let  us  suppose  an  estate  forfeited  by  treason,  and  grant- 
ed by  the  Crown  to  a  new  family.      With   the  lands 
were  forfeited  all  the  rights  apj)endant  to  those  lands  ; 
by  the  same  power  that  grants  the  lands,  the  rights  also 
are  granted.      The  right  lost  to  the   patron  falls   not  to 
the  people,  but   is  either  retained   by  the  Crown,  or, 
what  to  the  people  is  the  same  thing,  is  by  the  Crown 
given  away.     Let  it  change  hands  ever  so  often,  it  is 
possessed  by  him  that  receives   it  with  the    same  right 
as  it  was  conveyed.      It  may,  indeed,  like  all  our  pos- 
sessions,   be  forcibly  seized  or  fraudulently  obtained. 
But  no  injury  is  still  done  to  the  people  ;  for  what  they 
never  had,  they  have  never  lost.     Caiusmay  usurp  the 
right  of  fitius,  but  neither  Caius  nor  Titius  injure  the 
people  ;  and   no  man's  conscience,  however  tender  or 
however  active,  can  prompt   him  to  restore  what  may 
be  proved  to  have  been  never  taken  away.    Supposing, 
what  1  think  cannot  be  proved,  that  a  popular  election 
of  ministers  were  to  be  desired,  our  desires  are  not  the 
measure  of  equity.     Jt  were  to  be  desired  that  power 
should  be  only  in  the  hands  of  the  merciful,  and  riches 
in  the  possession   of  the  generous  ;  but  the  law  must 
leave  both  riches  and  power  where  it  finds  them  :  and 
must  often  leave  riches  with  the  covetous,  and  power 
with  the  cruel.     Convenience  may  be  a  rule  in  little 
things,  where  no  other  rule  has  been  established.     But 
as  the  great  end  of  government  is  to  give   every   man 
his  own,  no  inconvenience  is  greater  than  that  of  mak- 
ing right  uncertain.     Nor  is  any  man  more  an  enemy 


86  THE    LIFE    Oi 

1773.  to  publick  peace,  than  he  who  fills  weak  heads  with 
jgj^  imaginary  claims,  and  breaks  the  series  of  civil  subor- 
64.    dination,  by  inciting  the  lower  classes  of  mankind   to 
encroach  upon  the  higher. 

"  Having  thus  shown  that  the  right  of  patronage,  be- 
ing originally  purchased,  may  be  legally  transferred,  and 
that  it  is  now  in  the  hands  of  lawful  possessors,  at  least 
as  certainly  as  any  other  right ; — we  have  left  to  the 
advocates  of  the  people  no  other  plea  than  that  of  con- 
venience. Let  us,  therefore,  now  consider  what  the 
people  would  really  gain  by  a  general  abolition  of  the 
right  of  patronage.  What  is  most  to  be  desired  by  such 
a  change  is,  that  the  country  should  be  supplied  with 
better  ministers.  But  why  should  we  suppose  that  the 
parish  will  make  a  wiser  choice  than  the  patron  ?  If  we 
suppose  mankind  actuated  by  interest,  the  patron  is 
more  likely  to  choose  with  caution,  because  he  will 
suffer  more  by  choosing  wrong.  By  the  deficiencies  of 
his  minister,  or  by  his  vices,  he  is  equally  offended  with 
the  rest  of  the  congregation  ;  but  he  will  have  this  rea- 
son more  to  lament  them,  that  they  will  be  imputed  to 
his  absurdity  or  corruption.  The  qualifications  of  a 
minister  are  well  known  to  be  learning  and  piety.  Of 
his  learning  the  patron  is  probably  the  only  judge  in 
the  parish  ;  and  of  his  piety  not  less  a  judge  than  oth- 
ers; and  is  more  likely  to  enquire  minutely  and  dili- 
gently before  he  gives  a  presentation,  than  one  of  the 
parochial  rabble,  who  can  give  nothing  but  a  vote.  It 
may  be  urged,  that  though  the  parish  might  not  choose 
better  ministers,  they  would  at  least  choose  ministers 
whom  they  like  better,  and  who  would  therefore  offi- 
ciate with  greater  efficacy.  That  ignorance  and  per- 
verseness  should  always  obtain  what  they  like,  was  nev- 
er considered  as  the  end  of  government ;  of  which  it 
is  the  great  and  standing  benefit,  that  the  wise  see  for 
the  simple,  and  the  regular  act  for  the  capricious.  But 
that  this  argument  supposes  the  people  capable  of  judg- 
ing, and  resolute  to  act  according  to  their  best  judge- 
ments, though  this  be  sufficiently  absurd,  it  is  not  all 
its  absurdity.  It  supposes  not  only  wisdom,  but  una- 
nimity in  those,  who  upon  no  other  occasions  are  unan- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  ^7 

imous  or  wise.  If  by  some  strange  concurrence  all  the  '773. 
voices  of  a  parish  should  unite  in  the  choice  of  any  single  J^"^ 
man,  though  1  could  not  charge  the  patron  with  injus-  64. 
tice  for  presenting  a  minister,  1  should  censure  him  as 
unkind  and  mjudicious.  But,  it  is  evident,  that  as  in 
all  other  popular  elections  there  will  be  contrariety  of 
judgement  and  acrimony  of  passion,  a  parish  upon  eve- 
ry vacancy  would  break  into  factions,  and  the  contest 
for  the  choice  of  a  minister  would  set  neighbours  at  va- 
riance, and  bring  discord  into  families.  The  minister 
would  be  taught  all  the  arts  of  a  candidate,  would  flat- 
ter some,  and  bribe  others  ;  and  the  electors,  as  in  all 
other  cases,  would  call  for  holidays  and  ale,  and  break 
the  heads  of  each  other  during  the  jollity  of  the  canvass, 
rhe  time  must,  howev^er,  come  at  last,  when  one  of  the 
factions  must  prevail,  and  one  of  the  ministers  get  pos- 
session of  the  church.  On  what  terms  does  he  enter 
upon  his  ministry  but  those  of  enmity  with  half  his  pa- 
rish I  By  what  prudence  or  what  diligence  can  he  hope 
to  conciliate  the  affections  of  that  party  by  whose  de- 
feat he  has  obtained  his  living  ?  Every  man  who  voted 
against  him  will  enter  the  church  with  hanging  head 
and  downcast  eyes,  afraid  to  encounter  that  neighbour 
by  whose  vote  and  influence  he  has  been  overpowered. 
He  will  hate  his  neighbour  for  opposing  him,  and  his 
minister  for  having  prospered  by  the  opposition  ;  and 
as  he  will  never  see  him  but  with  pain,  he  will  never 
see  him  but  with  hatred.  Of  a  minister  presented  by 
the  patron,  the  parish  has  seldom  any  thing  worse  to 
say  than  that  they  do  not  know  him.  Of  a  minister 
chosen  by  a  popular  contest,  all  those  who  do  not  favour 
him,  have  nursed  up  in  their  bosoms  principles  of  ha- 
tred and  reasons  of  rejection.  Anger  is  excited  princi- 
pally by  pride.  The  pride  of  a  common  man  is  very 
little  exasperated  by  the  supposed  usurpation  of  an  ac- 
knowledged superiour.  He  bears  only  his  little  share 
of  a  general  evil,  and  suffers  in  common  with  the  whole 
parish  :  but  when  the  contest  is  between  equals,  the 
defeat  .has  many  aggravations;  and  he  that  is  defeated 
by  hilvaext  neighbour,  is  seldom  satisfied  without  some 
revenge  :  and  it  is  hard  to  say  what  bitterness  of  malig- 


88  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  nity  would  prevail  in  a  parish  where  these  elections 
^^^  should  happen  to  be  frequent,  and  the  enmity  ot'oppo- 
64.    sition  should  be  re-kindled  before  it  had  cooled." 

Though  1  present  to  my  readers  Dr.  Johnson's  mas- 
terly thoughts  on  the  subject,  1  think  it  proper  to  de- 
clare, that  notwithstanding  1  am  myself  a  lay-patron,  I 
do  not  entirely  subscribe  to  his  opinion. 

On  Friday,  May  7,  I  breakfasted  with  him  at  Mr. 
Thrale's  in  the  Borough.  While  we  were  alone,  1  en- 
deavoured as  well  as  I  could  to  apologise  for  a  lady  who 
had  been  divorced  from  her  husband  by  act  of  Parlia- 
ment. 1  said,  that  he  had  used  her  very  ill,  had  behav- 
ed brutally  to  her,  and  that  she  could  not  continue  to 
live  with  him  without  having  her  delicacy  contaminated  ; 
that  all  affection  for  him  was  thus  destroyed  ;  that  the 
essence  of  conjugal  union  being  gone,  there  remained 
only  a  cold  form,  a  mere  civil  obligation  ;  that  she  was 
in  the  prime  of  life,  with  qualities  to  produce  happiness  ; 
that  these  ought  not  to  be  lost ;  and,  that  the  gentleman 
on  whose  account  she  was  divorced  had  gained  her 
heart  while  thus  unhappily  situated.  Seduced,  perhaps, 
by  the  charms  of  the  lady  in  question,  1  thus  attempt- 
ed to  palliate  what  I  was  sensible  could  not  be  justifi- 
ed ;  for  when  I  had  finished  my  harangue,  my  venera- 
ble friend  gave  me  a  proper  check  :  "  My  dear  Sir,  nev- 
er accustom  your  mind  to  mingle  virtue  and  vice.  The 
woman's  a  whore,  and  there's  an  end  on't." 

He  described  the  father  of  one  of  his  friends  thus: 
t  "  Sir,  he  was  so  exuberant  a  talker  at  publick  meetings, 
I  that  the  gentlemen  of  his  county  were  afraid  of  him. 
\No  business  could  be  done  for  his  declamation." 

He  did  not  give  me  full  credit  when  I  mentioned 
that  1  had  carried  on  a  short  conversation  by  signs  with 
some  Esquimaux,  who  were  then  in  London,  particu- 
lary  with  one  of  them  who  was  a  priest.  He  thought 
I  could  not  make  them  understand  me.  No  man  was 
more  incredulous  as  to  particular  facts,  which  were  at 
all  extraordinary  :  and  therefore  no  man  was  more  scru- 
pulously inquisitive,  in  order  to  discover  the  truth. 

J  dined  with  him  this  day  at  the  house  of  m}'\,j''ends, 
Messieurs  Kdward  and  Charles  J.)illv,  booksellers  m  the 


»R.    JOHNSON.  S9 

Poultry:  there  were  present,  their  elder  brother  Mr.  '773. 
Dilly  of  Bedfordshire,   Dr.  Goldsmith,  Mr.   Langton,  '^^^\ 
Mr.  Claxton,  Reverend  Dr.  Mayo,  a  dissenting  minis-    04. 
ter,  the  Ueverend  Mr.  Toplady,  and  my  friend  the  Rev- 
erend Mr.  I'emple. 

llawkesworth's  compilation  of  the  voyages  to  the 
South  Sea  being  mentioned  ; — .Johnson.  "  Sir,  if  you 
talk  of  it  as  a  subject  of  commerce,  it  will  be  gainful ; 
if  as  a  book  that  is  to  increase  human  knowledge,  I  be- 
lieve there  will  not  be  much  of  that.  Ilawkesworth 
can  tell  only  what  the  voyagers  have  told  him  ;  and 
they  have  found  very  little,  only  one  new  animal,  I 
think."  BoswELL.  "  But  many  insects,  Sir."  John- 
son. "  Why,  Sir,  as  to  insects,  Ray  reckons  of  British 
insects  twenty  thousand  species.  They  might  have 
staid  at  home  and  discovered  enough  in  that  way." 

Talking  of  birds,  1  mentioned  Mr.  Daines  Barring- 
ton's  ingenious  Essay  against  the  received  notion  of 
their  mis^ration.  Johnson.  "1  think  we  have  as  good 
evidence  for  the  migration  of  woodcocks  as  can  be  desir- 
ed. We  find  they  disappear  at  a  certain  time  of  the  year, 
and  appear  again  at  a  certain  time  of  the  year  ;  and 
some  of  them,  when  weary  in  their  flight,  have  been 
known  to  ali<iht  on  the  rifi^ins:  of  ships  far  out  at  sea." 
One  of  the  company  observed,  that  there  had  been  in- 
stances of  some  of  them  found  in  summer  in  Essex. 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  that  strengthens  our  argument.  E.v- 
ceptio  prohat  regulam.  Some  being  found  shews,  that, 
if  all  remained,  many  would  be  found.  A  few  sick  or 
lame  ones  may  be  found."  Goldsmith.  "  There  is  a 
partial  migration  of  the  swallows ;  the  stronger  ones 
migrate,  the  others  do  not," 

BoswELL.  "  I  am  well  assured  that  the  people  of 
Otaheite  who  have  the  bread  tree,  the  fruit  of  which 
serves  them  for  bread,  laughed  heartily  when  they  were 
informed  of  the  tedious  process  necessary  with  us  to 
have  bread  ; — plowing,  sowing,  harrowing,  reaping, 
threshing,  grinding,  baking."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir, 
all  ignorant  savages  will  laugh  when  they  are  told  of 
the  advantages  of  civilized  life.  Were  you  to  tell  men 
who  live  without  houses,  how  we  pile  brick  upon  brick. 

VOL.  II.  19 


90  IHE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  and  rafter  upon  rafter,  and  that  after  a  house  is  raised 

^^  to  a  certain  height,  a  man  tumbles  off  a  scaffold,  and 

64.    breaks  his  neck  ;  he   would  laugh  heartily  at  our  folly 

in  building  ;  but  it  does  not  follow  that  men  are  better 

without  houses.     No,  Sir,  (holding  up  a  slice  of  a  good 

loaf,)  this  is  better  than  the  bread  tree." 

He  repeated  an  argument,  which  is  to  be  found  in  his 
"'  Rambler,"  against  the  notion  that  the  brute  creation 
is  endowed  with  the  faculty  of  reason  :  "  birds  build 
by  instinct ;  they  never  improve  ;  they  build  their  first 
nest  as  well  as  any  one  they  ever  build."  Goldsmith. 
"  Yet  we  see  if  you  take  away  a  bird's  nest  with  the 
eggs  in  it,  she  will  make  a  slighter  nest  and  lay  again.'** 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  that  is  because  at  first  she  has  full 
time  and  makes  her  nest  deliberately.  In  the  case 
you  mention  she  is  pressed  to  lay,  and  must  there- 
fore make  her  nest  quickly,  and  consequently  it  will 
be  slight."  Goldsmith.  "  The  nidification  of  birds  is 
H'hat  is  least  known  in  natural  history,  though  one  of 
.the  most  curious  things  in  it." 

1  introduced  the  subject  of  toleration.  Johnson. 
'*  Every  society  has  a  right  to  preserve  publick  peace 
and  order,  and  therefore  has  a  good  right  to  prohibit 
the  propagation  of  opinions  which  have  a  dangerous 
tendency.  "I'o  say  the  magistrate  has  this  right,  is  us- 
ing an  inadequate  word  :  it  is  the  societij  for  which  the 
magistrate  is  agent.  He  may  be  morally  or  theologic- 
ally wrong  in  restraining  the  propagation  of  opinions 
which  he  thinks  dangerous,  but  he  is  politically  right." 
Mayo.  "  I  am  of  opinion,  Sir,  that  every  man  is  enti- 
tled to  liberty  of  conscience  in  religion  ;  and  that  the 
magistrate  cannot  restrain  that  right."  Johnson. 
.'  "  Sir,  I  agree  with  you.  Every  man  has  a  right  to  lib- 
/  erty  of  conscience,  and  with  that  the  magistrate  cannot 
I  interfere.  People  confound  liberty  of  thinking  with 
liberty  of  talking  ;  nay,  with  liberty  of  preaching.  Ev- 
ery man  has  a  physical  right  to  think  as  he  pleases  ;  for 
it  cannot  be  discovered  how  he  thinks.  \\c  has  not  a 
moral  right,  for  he  ought  to  inform  himself,  and  think 
justly.  But,  Sir,  no  member  of  a  society  has  a  right  to 
]       teach  any  doctrine  contrary  to  what  the  society  holds  te 


DR.    JOHNSON.  91 

be  true.  The  magistrate,  I  say,  may  be  wrong  in  what  1773. 
he  thinks  :  but  while  he  thinks  himself  right,  he  may  ^^ 
uncloiight  to  eiit'orce  what  he  thinks."  M.vvo.  "Thin,  (14 
Sir,  wt.'  are  to  remain  always  in  errour,  and  truth  nevt^r 
ran  prevail ;  and  the  magistrate  was  right  in  persecut- 
JULT  the  first  Christians."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  the  onlv 
method  by  which  religious  truth  can  be  established  is 
by  martyrdom.  The  magistrate  has  a  right  to  enforce 
wtiat  he  thinks  ;  and  he  who  is  conscious  of  the  truth 
has  a  right  to  suffer.  1  am  afraid  there  is  no  other  way 
of  ascertaining  the  truth,  but  by  persecution  on  the  one 
hand  and  enduring  it  on  the  other  "  Goldsmith.  "  But 
how  is  a  man  to  act,  Sir  ?  Though  firmly  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  his  doctrine,  may  he  not  think  it  wrong  toexpose 
himself  to  persecution  ?  Has  he  a  right  to  do  so  ?  Is  it 
not,  as  it  were,  committing  voluntary  suicide?"  John- 
son. "  Sir,  as  to  voluntary  suicide,  as  you  call  it,  there 
are  twenty  thousand  men  in  an  army  who  will  ejo  with- 
out scruple  to  be  shot  at,  and  mount  a  breach  for  five- 
pence  a  day."  Goldsmith.  "  Hut  have  they  a  moral 
right  to  do  this  ?"  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  if  you  will  not 
take  the  universal  opinion  of  mankind,  I  have  nothing 
to  say.  If  mankind  cannot  defend  their  own  way  of 
thinking,  1  cannot  defend  it.  Sir,  if  a  man  is  in  doubt 
whether  it  would  be  better  for  him  to  expose  himself 
to  martyrdom  or  not,  he  should  not  do  it.  He  must 
be  convinced  that  he  has  a  delegation  from  heaven." 
Goldsmith.  "  1  would  consider  whether  there  is  the 
greater  chance  of  good  or  evil  upon  the  whole.  If  1 
see  a  man  who  has  fallen  into  a  well,  1  would  wish  to 
help  him  out  ;  but  if  there  is  a  greater  probability  that 
he  shall  pull  me  in,  than  that  I  shall  pull  him  out,  I 
would  not  attempt  it.  So  were  I  to  go  to  Turkey,  I 
might  wish  to  convert  the  Grand  Signor  to  the  Christian 
faith  ;  but  when  I  considered  that  I  should  probably  be 
put  to  death  without  effectuating  my  purpose  in  any 
degree,  I  should  keep  myself  quiet."  Johnson.  "Sir, 
you  must  consider  that  we  have  perfect  and  imperfect 
obligations.  Perfect  obligations,  which  are  generally 
not  to  do  something,  are  clear  and  positive  ;  as, '  thou 
shalt  not  kill.'     But  charity,  for  instance,  is  not  defina- 


92  THE    LIFE    OF 

'773.  ble  by  limits.  It  is  a  duty  to  give  to  the  poor  ;  but  no 
^^^  man  can  say  how  much  another  should  give  to  the 
64.  poor,  or  when  a  man  has  given  too  little  to  save  his  souL 
In  the  same  manner  it  is  a  duty  to  instruct  the  igno- 
rant, and  of  consequence  to  convert  infidels  to  Chris- 
tianity ;  but  no  man  in  the  common  course  of  things  is 
obhged  to  carry  this  to  such  a  degree  as  to  incur  the  dan- 
ger of  martyrdom,  as  no  man  is  obliged  to  strip  himself  to 
the  shirt  in  order  to  give  charity.  I  have  said,  that  a  man 
must  be  persuaded  that  he  has  a  particular  delegation 
from  heaven/'  Goldsmith.  "  How  is  this  to  be  known? 
Our  first  reformers,  who  were  burnt  for  not  believing 
bread  and  wine  to  be  Christ" — Johnson,  (interrupt- 
ing him,)  "  Sir,  they  were  not  burnt  for  not  believing 
bread  and  wine  to  be  Christ,  but  for  insulting  those  who 
did  beheve  it.  And,  Sir,  when  the  first  reformers  began, 
they  did  not  intend  to  be  martyred  :  asmany  of  them  ran 
away  as  could."  Boswell.  "  But,  Sir,  there  was  your 
countryman,  Elwal,  who  you  told  me  challenged  King 
George  with  his  black-guards,  and  his  red-guards." 
Johnson,  "My  countryman,  Elwal,  Sir,  should  have 
been  put  in  the  stocks:  a  proper  pulpit  for  him;  and 
he'd  have  had  a  numerous  audience.  A  man  who 
preaches  in  the  stocks  will  always  have  hearers  enough." 
BosAVELL.  "  But  Elwal  thought  himself  in  the  right." 
Johnson.  "  We  are  not  providing  for  mad  people  ; 
there  are  places  for  them  in  the  neighbourhood." 
(meaning  Moorfields.)  Mayo.  "  But,  Sir,  is  it  not 
very  hard  that  I  should  not  be  allowed  to  teach  my 
children  what  I  really  believe  to  be  the  truth  ?"  John- 
son. "  Why,  Sir,  you  might  contrive  to  teach  your  chil- 
dren extrd,  scandalum  ;  but.  Sir,  the  magistrate,  if  he 
knows  it,  has  a  right  to  restrain  you.  Suppose  you 
teach  your  children  to  be  thieves  ]"  Mayo.  "  This  is 
*  making  a  joke  of  the  subject."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir, 
take  it  thus  : — that  you  teach  them  the  community  of 
goods  ;  for  which  there  are  as  many  plausible  argu- 
ments as  for  most  erroneous  doctrines.  You  teach 
them  that  all  things  at  first  were  in  common,  and  that 
no  man  had  a  right  to  any  thing  but  as  he  laid  his 
hands  upon  it  ;  and  that  this  still  is,  or  ought  to  be,  the 
rule  amongst  mankind.      Here,  Sir,  you  sap  a  great 


UR.    JOHNSON.  9S 

principle  in  society, — property.  And  don't  you  think  '773. 
the  magistrate  would  have  a  right  to  prevent  you  1  Or,  ^J^ 
suppose  you  should  teach  your  children  the  notion  of  04. 
the  Adamites,  and  they  should  run  naked  into  the 
streets,  would  not  the  magistrate  have  a  right  to  flog 
^em  into  their  doublets?"  Mayo.  "  I  think  the  magis- 
trate has  no  right  to  interfere  till  there  is  some  overt 
act."  BoswELi,.  "  So,  Sir,  though  he  sees  an  enemy 
to  the  state  charging  a  blunderbuss,  he  is  not  to  inter- 
fere till  it  is  fired  otf  !"  Mayo.  "  He  must  be  sure  of 
its  direction  against  the  state."  Johnson.  "  The  mag- 
istrate is  to  judge  of  that. — He  has  no  right  to  restrain 
your  thinking,  because  the  evil  centers  in  yourself.  If 
a  man  were  sitting  at  this  table,  and  chopping  off  his 
fingers,  the  magistrate,  as  guardian  of  the  community, 
has  no  authority  to  restrain  him,  however  he  might  do 
it  from  kindness  as  a  parent. — Though,  indeed,  upon 
more  consideration,  I  think  he  may  ;  as  it  is  probable, 
that  he  who  is  chopping  off  his  own  fingers,  may  soon 
proceed  to  chop  off  those  of  other  people.  If  1  think  it  ' 
ri2:ht  to  steal  Mr.  Dilly's  plate,  1  am  a  bad  man  ;  but 
he  can  say  nothing  to  me.  If  1  make  an  open  declara- 
tion that  I  think  so,  he  will  keep  me  out  of  his  house. 
If  I  put  forth  my  hand,  1  shall  be  sent  to  Newgate. 
This  is  the  gradation  of  thinking,  preaching,  and  act- 
ing ;  if  a  man  thinks  erroneously,  he  may  keep  his 
thoughts  to  himself,  and  nobody  will  trouble  him  :  if 
he  preaches  erroneous  doctrine,  society  may  expel  him  ; 
if  he  acts  in  consequence  of  it,  the  law  takes  place,  and 
he  is  hanged.^'  Mayo.  "  But,  Sir,  ought  not  Chris- 
tians to  have  liberty  of  conscience?"  Johnson.  "  I  have 
already  told  you  so,  Sir.  You  are  coming  back  to 
"where  you  were."  Boswell.  "  Dr.  Mayo  is  always 
taking  a  return  post-chaise,  and  going  the  stage  over 
again.  He  has  it  at  half  price."  Johnson.  *' Dr.  Ma- 
yo, like  other  champions  for  unlimited  toleration,  has 
got  a  set  of  words.*     Sir,  it  is  no  matter,  politically, 

*  Dr.  Mayo's  calm  temper  and  steady  perseverance,  rendered  him  an  admirable 
subject  for  the  exercise  of  Dr.  Johnson's  powerful  abilities.  He  never  flinched  : 
but,  after  reiterated  blows,  remained  seemingly  unmoved  as  at  the  first.  The  scin- 
tillations of  Jolinson's  genius  flashed  every  time  he  was  struck,  without  his  receiv- 
ing any  injury.    Hence  he  obtained  the  epithet  of  Thb  J.iTKj<ARr  Anvil 


94  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  whether  the  magistrate  be  right  or  wrong.  Suppose  a 
SaT  ^^^^  were  to  be  formed,  to  drink  confusion  to  King 
64.  George  the  Third,  and  a  happy  restoration  to  Charles 
the  Third  ;  this  would  be  very  bad  with  respect  to  the 
State  ;  but  every  member  of  that  club  must  either  con- 
form to  its  rules,  or  be  turned  out  of  it.  Old  Baxter,  I 
remember,  maintains,  that  the  magistrate  should  '  tole- 
rate all  things  that  are  tolerable.'  This  is  no  good  defi- 
nition of  toleration  upon  any  principle  ;  but  it  shews 
that  he  thought  some  things  were  not  tolerable."  Top- 
lady.  "  Sir,  you  have  untwisted  this  difficult  subject 
with  great  dexterity." 

During  this  argument.  Goldsmith  sat  in  restless  agita- 
Vtion,  from  a  wish  to  get  in  and  shine.  Finding  himself 
excluded,  he  had  taken  his  hat  to  go  away,  but  remain- 
ed for  some  time  with  it  in  his  hand,  like  a  gamester, 
who  at  the  close  of  a  long  night,  lingers  for  a  little  while, 
to  see  if  he  can  have  a  favourable  opening  to  finish  with 
success.  Once  when  he  was  beginning  to  speak,  he 
found  himself  overpowered  by  the  loud  voice  of  John- 
son, who  was  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  table,  and  did 
not  perceive  Goldsmith's  attempt.  Thus  disappointed 
of  his  wish  to  obtain  the  attention  of  the  company, 
Goldsmith  in  a  passion  threw  down  his  hat,  looking 
angrily  at  Johnson,  and  exclaiming  in  a  bitter  tone,  , 
"  Take  if.'*  When  Toplady  was  going  to  speak,  John- 
son uttered  some  sound,  which  led  Goldsmith  to  think 
that  he  was  beginning  again,  and  taking  the  words  from 
Toplady.  Upon  which,  he  seized  this  opportunity  of 
venting  his  own  envy  and  spleen,  under  the  pretext  of 
supporting  another  person  :  "  Sir,  (said  he  to  Johnson,) 
the  gentleman  has  heard  you  patiently  for  an  hour': 
pray  allow  us  now  to  hear  him."  Johnson,  (sternly,) 
"'  Sir,  1  was  not  interrupting  the  gentleman.  1  was  only 
giving  him  a  signal  of  my  attention.  Sir,  you  are  im- 
pertinent." Goldsmith  made  no  reply,  but  continued 
in  the  company  for  some  time. 

A  gentleman  present  ventured  to  ask  Dr.  Johnson  if 
there  was  not  a  material  difference  as  to  toleration  of 
opinions  which  lead  to  action,  efmd  opinions  merely  spec- 
ulative ;  for  instance,  would  it  be  wrong  in  the  magis. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  9> 

trate  to  tolerate  those  wlio  preach  against  the  doctrine  1773. 
of  the  Trinity  ?  Johnson  was  highly  odendeci,  and  JTi"^ 
said,  "  I  wonder,  Sir,  how  a  gentleman  of  your  piety  64. 
can  introduce  this  subject  in  a  mixed  comi)any."  lie 
told  me  afterwards,  that  the  impropriety  was,  that  per- 
haps some  of  the  company  might  have  talked  on  the 
subject  in  such  terms  as  might  have  shocked  him  ;  or 
he  might  have  been  forced  to  appear  in  their  eyes  a 
narrow-minded  man.  The  gentleman,  with  submissive 
deference,  said,  he  had  only  hinted  at  the  question  from 
a  desire  to  hear  Dr.  Johnson's  opinion  u|)on  it.  John- 
son. "  Why  then,  Sir,  1  think  that  permitting  men  to 
preach  any  opinion  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
established  church,  tends  in  a  certain  degree,  to  lessen 
the  authority  of  the  church,  and  consequently,  to  lessen 
the  influence  of  religion."  "  It  may  be  considered, 
(said  the  gentleman,)  whether  it  would  not  be  politick 
to  tolerate  in  such  a  case."  Johnson.  "Sir,  we  have 
been  talking  of  t'ig/ii  :  this  is  another  question.  I 
think  it  is  not  politick  to  tolerate  in  such  a  case." 

l  hough  he  did  not  think  it  fit  that  so  aweful  a  sub- 
ject should  be  introduced  in  a  mixed  company,  and 
therefore  at  this  time  waved  the  theological  question  ; 
yet  his  own  orthodox  belief  in  the  sacred  mystery  of 
the  Trinity  is  evinced  beyond  doubt,  by  the  follow- 
ing passage  in  his  private  devotions  :  "  O  Lord,  hear 
my  prayer,  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake  ;  to  whom  with 
thee  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  l/iree  persons  and  one  God, 
be  all  honour  and  glory,  world  without  end.  Amen."* 

BoswELL.  "  Pray,  Mr.  Dilly,  how  does  Dr.  Leland's 
'History  of  Ireland  sell  ?"  Johnson,  (bursting  forth 
with  a  generous  indignation,)  "  The  Irish  are  in  a  most 
unnatural  state  ;  for  we  see  there  the  minority  prevail- 
ing over  the  majority.  There  is  no  instance,  even  in 
the  ten  persecutions,  of  such  severity  as  that  which  the 
protestants  of  Ireland  have  exercised  against  the  Catho- 
Jicks.  Did  we  tell  them  we  have  conquered  them,  it 
would  be  above  board  :  to  punish  them  by  confiscation 
and  other  penalties,  as  rebels,  was  monstrous  injustice, 

'  Prayera  and  Meditations,  p.  -10. 


^6  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  King  William  was  not  their  lawful  sovereign :  he  had 
2^  not  been  acknowledged  by  the  Parliament  of  Ireland, 
64.  *  when  they  appeared  in  arms  against  him." 

1  here  suggested  something  favourable  of  the  Roman 
Cathoiicks.  Toplady.  "  Does  not  their  invocation 
of  saints  suppose  omnipresence  in  the  saints?"  John- 
son. "  No,  Sir  ;  it  supposes  only  pluri-presence  ;  and 
when  spirits  are  divested  of  matter,  it  seems  probable 
that  they  should  see  with  more  extent  than  when  in  an 
embodied  state.  There  is,  therefore,  no  approach  to  an 
invasion  of  any  of  the  divine  attributes,  in  the  invoca- 
tion of  saints.  But  I  think  it  is  will  worship,  and  pre- 
sumption. I  see  no  command  for  it,  and  therefore 
think  it  is  safer  not  to  practise  it." 

He  and  Mr.  Langton  and  I  went  together  to  the 
Club,  where  we  found  JNlr.  Burke,  Mr.  Garrick,  and 
some  other  members,  and  amongst  them  our  friend 
Goldsmith,  who  sat  silently  brooding  over  Johnson's 
reprimand  to  him  after  dinner.  Johnson  perceived  this, 
and  said  aside  to  some  of  us,  "  I'll  make  Goldsmith 
forgive  me  ;"  and  then  called  to  him  in  a  loud  voice, 
"Dr.  Goldsmith, — something  passed  to-day  where  you 
and  I  dined  ;  1  ask  your  pardon."  Goldsmith  answered 
placidly,  "  It  must  be  much  from  you.  Sir,  that  I  take 
ill."  And  so  at  once  the  difference  was  over,  and  they 
were  on  as  easy  terms  as  ever,  and  Goldsmith  rattled 
away  as  usual. 

In  our  way  to  the  club  to-night,  when  I  regretted 
that  Goldsmith  would,  upon  every  occasion,  endeavour 
to  shine,  by  which  he  often  exposed  himself,  Mr.  Lang- 
ton  observed,  that  he  was  not  like  Addison,  who  was 
content  with  the  fame  of  his  writings,  and  did  not  aim 
also  at  excellency  in  conversation,  for  which  he  found 
himself  unfit ;  and  that  he  said  to  a  lady  who  com- 
plained of  his  having  talked  little  in  company,  "  Mad- 
am, I  have  but  nine-pence  in  ready  money,  but  I  can 
draw  for  a  thousand  pounds."  1  observed,  that  Gold- 
smith had  a  great  deal  of  Gold  in  his  cabinet,  but,  not 
content  with  that,  was  always  taking  out  his  purse. 
Johnson.  '*  Yes,  Sir, and  that  so  often  an  empty  purse  I" 


DR.    JOHNSON.  97 

Goldsmith's  incessant  desire  of  being  conspicuous  in  i/'^- 
company,  was  the  occasion  of  his  sometimes  appearing  J,.^ 
to  such  disadvantage  as  one   should   hardly  have  sup-   G4. 
posed  possible  in  a  man  of  his  genius.     When  his  lit- 
erary reputation  had  risen  deservedly  high,  and  his  so- 
ciety was  much  courted,  he  became  very  jealous  of  the 
extraordinary  attention  which  was  every  where  paid  to 
Johnson.     One  evening,  in   a  circle  of  wits,  he  found 
fault  with  me  for  talking  of  Johnson  as  entitled  to  the 
honour  of  unquestionable  superiority.     "  Sir,  (said  he,) 
you  are  for  making  a  monarchy  of  what  should  be  a 
republick." 

He  was  still  more  mortified,  when  talking  in  a  com- 
pany with  fluent  vivacity,  and,  as  he  flattered  himself, 
to  the  admiration  of  all  who  were  present ;  a  German 
who  sat  next  him,  and  perceived  Johnson  roUjug^Jiim- 
self,  as  if  about  to  speak,  suddenly  stopped  him,  say- 
Trig,  "  Stay,  stay, —  Toctor  Shonson  is  going  to  sayi 
something."  This  was,  no  dcmbt,  very  provoking,  es- 
pecially to  one  so  irritable  as  Goldsmith,  who  frequently 
mentioned  it  with  strong  expressions  of  indignaticm. 

It  may  also  be  observed,  that  Goldsmith  was  some- 
times content  to  be  treated  with  an  easy  familiarity,  but 
upon  occasions,  w^ould  be  consequential  and  important. 
An  instance  of  this  occurred  in  a  small  particular. 
Johnson  had  a  way  of  contracting  the  names  of  his 
friends:  as  Beauclerk,  Beau;  Boswell,  Bozzy  ;  Lang- 
ton,  Lanky;  Murphy,  Mur ;  Sheridan,  Sherry.  1  re- 
member one  day,  when  Tom  Davies  was  telling  that 
Dr.  Johnson  said,  "  We  are  all  in  labour  for  a  name  to 
Gol(/if\s  play,"  Goldsmith  seemed  displeased  that  such 
a  liberty  should  be  taken  with  his  name,  and  said,  "  1 
have  often  desired  him  not  to  call  me  G'/ldy"  I'om 
was  remarkably  attentive  to  the  most  minute  circum- 
stance about  Johnson.  I  recollect  his  telling  me  once, 
on  my  arrival  in  London,  "  Sir,  our  great  friend  has 
made  an  iujprovement  on  his  appellation  of  old  JNlr. 
Sheridan.     He  calls  him  now  S/ierr//  derri/" 


'^OL.  ir.  13 


98  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773. 

^-.^     "  TO  THE  REVEREND  MR.  BAGSHAW,  AT  BROMLEY.^ 

JEtat. 
64.  "  SIR, 

"  I  RETURN  you  my  sincere  thanks  for  your  addi- 
tions to  my  Dictionary  ;  but  the  new  edition  has  been 
published  some  time,  and  therefore  1  cannot  now  make 
use  of  them.  Whether  I  shall  ever  revise  it  more,  I 
know  not.  If  many  readers  had  been  as  judicious,  as 
diligent,  and  as  communicative  as  yourself,  my  work 
had  been  better.  The  world  must  at  present  take  it  as 
it  is.     I  am,  Sir, 

'  "  Your  most  obliged 

"  And  most  humble  servant, 
"  Mat/  8,  1773.  "  Sam.  Johnson.' 


j> 


On  Sunday,  May  8,  I  dined  with  Johnson  at  Mr. 
Langton's  with  Dr.  Beattie  and  some  other  company. 
He  descanted  on  the  subject  of  liiterary  Property. 
"  There  seems  (said  he,)  to  be  in  authours  a  stronger 
right  of  property  than  that  by  occupancy  ;  a  metaphys- 
ical right,  a  right,  as  it  were,  of  creation,  which  should 
from  its  nature  be  perpetual  ;  but  the  consent  of  na- 
tions is  against  it ;  and  indeed  reason  and  the  interests 
of  learning  are  against  it ;  for  were  it  to  be  perpetual, 
no  book,  however  useful,  could  be  universally  diffused 
amongst  mankind,  should  the  proprietor  take  it  into  his 
head  to  restrain  its  circulation.  iSo  book  could  have 
the  advantas:e  of  beino-  edited  with  notes,  however  nee- 
essary  to  its  elucidation,  should  the  proprietor  per- 
versely oppose  it.  For  the  general  good  of  the  world, 
therefore,  whatever  valuable  work  has  once  been  creat- 

*  The  Reverend  Thomas  Bagshaw,  M.  A.  who  died  on  November  20,  1787,  in 
the  seventy-seventh  year  of  liis  age.  Chaplain  of  Bromley  College,  in  Kent,  and 
Rector  of  Southfleet.  He  had  resigned  the  cure  of  Bromley  Parish  some  time  be- 
fore his  death.  For  this,  and  another  letter  from  Dr.  Johnson  in  1784,  to  the 
same  truly  respectable  man,  I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  John  Loveday,  of  the  Commons, 
a  son  of  the  late  learned  and  pious  John  Loveday,  Esq.  of  Caveisham  in  Berkshire, 
who  obligingly  transcribed  them  for  me  from  the  originals  in  his  possession.  This 
worthy  gentleman,  having  retired  from  business,  now  lives  in  Warwickshire.  The 
world  has  beui  lately  obliged  to  him  as  the  Editor  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Townson's 
excellent  work,  modestly  entitled  "  A  Discourse  on  the  Evangelical  History,  from 
the  Interment  to  the  Ascension  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  ;"  to  wliich  is 
prefixed,  a  truly  interesting  and  pleasing  account  of  the  authour,  by  the  Reverend 
Air.  Ralph  Churton. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  99 

od  bv  an  authour,   and   issued  nut   bv  bim,   should  be>77;<. 
understood  as  no  longer  in  his  |)OW(3r,  but  as  belonginijf  ^tnt. 
to  the  publick  ;  at  the  same  time  the  authour  is  entitled   G4 
to  an  adequate  reward.      I  his   he   should   have   by   an 
exclusive  right  to  his  work  for  a  considerable  number 
of  years." 

lie  attacked  Lord  Monboddo's  strange  speculation 
on  the  primitive  state  of  human  nature  ;  observing, 
'^'  Sir,  it  is  all  conjecture  about  a  thing  useless,  even 
were  it  known  to  be  true.  Knowledge  of  all  kinds  is 
good.  Conjecture,  as  to  things  useful,  is  good  ;  but 
conjecture  as  to  what  it  would  be  useless  to  know,  such 
as  whether  men  went  upon  all  four,  is  very  idle.^* 

On  Monday,  May  9,  as  I  was  to  set  out  on  my  re- 
turn to  Scotland  next  morning,  1  was  desirous  to  see 
as  much  of  Dr.  Johnson  as  1  could.  But  1  first  called 
on  Goldsmith  to  take  leave  of  him.  The  jealousy  and 
envv  which,  though  possessed  of  many  most  amiable 
qualities,  he  frankly  avowed,  broke  out  violently  at  this 
interview.  Upon  another  occasion,  when  Goldsmith 
confessed  himself  to  be  of  an  envious  disposition,  f 
contended  with  Johnson  that  we  ought  not  to  be  angry 
with  him,  he  was  so  candid  in  owning  it.  "  Nay,  Sir, 
(said  Johnson,)  we  must  be  angry  that  a  man  has  such 
a  superabundance  of  an  odious  quality,  that  he  cannot 
keep  it  within  his  own  breast,  but  it  boils  over."  In  ray 
opinion,  however.  Goldsmith  had  not  more  of  it  than 
other  people  have,  but  only  talked  of  it  freely. 

He  now  seemed  very  angry  that  Johnson  was  going 
to  be  a  traveller  ;  said  '*  he  would  be  a  dead  weight  for 
me  to  carry,  and  that  I  should  never  be  able  to  lug  him 
along  through  the  Highlands  and  Hebrides."  Nor 
would  he  patiently  allow  me  to  enlarge  upon  Johnson's 
wonderful  abilities  ;  but  exclaimed,  "  Is  he  like  Burke, 
who  winds  into  a  subject  like  a  serpent  ?"  '*  But,  (said 
I,)  Johnson  is  the  Hercules  who  strangled  serpents  in 
his  cradle." 

1  dined  with  Dr.  Johnson  at  General  Paoli's.  J  fe 
was  obliged,  by  indisposition,  to  leave  the  company  ear- 
ly ;  he  appointed  me,  however,  to  meet  him  in  the  ev- 
ening at  Mr.  (now  Sir  Robert)  Chambers's  in  the  Tern- 


100  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  pie,  where  he  accordingly  came,  though  he  continued 
^lat.  ^^^  ^^  ^'^^y  *'^-  Chambers,  as  is  common  on  such  occa- 
64.  sions,  prescribed  various  remedies  to  him.  Johnson. 
(fretted  by  pain,)  "  Pr'ythee  don't  teaze  me.  Stay  till 
1  am  well,  and  then  you  shall  tell  me  how  to  cure  my- 
self." He  grew  better,  and  talked  with  a  noble  enthu- 
siasm of  keeping  up  the  representation  of  respectable 
families.  His  zeal  on  this  subject  was  a  circumstance 
in  his  character  exceedingly  remarkable,  when  it  is 
considered  that  he  himself  had  no  pretensions  to  blood. 
1  heard  him  once  say,  '"  I  have  great  merit  in  being 
zealous  for  subordination  and  the  honours  of  birth  ;  for 
I  can  hardly  tell  who  was  my  grandfather."  He  main- 
tained the  dignity  and  propriety  of  male  succession,  in 
opposition  to  the  opinion  of  one  of  our  friends,  who  had 
that  day  employed  Mr.  Chambers  to  draw  his  will,  de- 
vising his  estate  to  his  three  sisters,  in  preference  to  a 
remote  heir  male.  Johnson  called  them  "  three  dozv- 
dies"  and  said,  with  as  high  a  spirit  as  the  boldest 
Baron  in  the  most  perfect  days  of  the  feudal  system, 
"  An  ancient  estate  should  always  go  to  males.  It  is 
mighty  foolish  to  let  a  stranger  have  it  because  he  mar- 
ries your  daughter,  and  takes  your  name.  As  for  an 
estate  newly  acquired  by  trade,  you  may  give  it,  if  you 
will,  to  the  dog  Tozosef\  and  let  him  keep  his  ozv?i  name.'' 
1  have  known  him  at  times  exceedingly  diverted  at 
what  seemed  to  others  a  very  small  sport.  He  now 
laughed  immoderately,  without  any  reason  that  we 
could  perceive,  at  our  friend's  making  his  will ;  called 
him  the  testator^  and  added,  "  1  dare  sa}'  he  thinks  he 
has  done  a  mighty  thing.  He  won't  stay  till  he  gets 
home  to  his  seat  in  the  country,  to  produce  this  won- 
derful deed  :  he'll  call  up  the  landlord  of  the  first  inn 
on  the  road  ;  and,  after  a  suitable  preface  upon  mortal- 
ity and  the  uncertainty  of  life,  will  tell  him  that  he 
should  not  delay  making  his  will  ;  and  here.  Sir,  will  he 
say,  is  my  will,  which  I  have  just  made,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  in  the  kingdom  ;  and 
he  will  read  it  to  him,  (laughing  all  the  time.)  He  be- 
lieves  he  has  made  this  will ;  but  he  did  not  make  it : 
you,  Chambers,  made  it  for  him.     I  trust  you  have  had 


DR.    JOHNSON.  10^ 

more  conscience  than  to  make  liim  say,  '  bcin^  of  sound  1773. 
understanding  ;'  lia,  ha,  ha  !  I  liope  he  has  left  me  a  leg-  ^^"^ 
acv.     rd  lime  his  will  turned  into  verse,  like  a  ballad."   64. 

In  this  playful  manner  did  he  run  on,  exulting  in  his 
own  pleasantry,  which  certainly  was  not  such  as  might 
be  expected  from  the  authour  of  "  The  Rambler,"  but 
which  is  here  preserved,  that  my  readers  may  be  ac- 
quainted even  with  the  Slightest  occasional  character- 
isticks  of  so  eminent  a  man. 

Mr.  Chambers  did  not  by  any  means  relish  this  jocu- 
larity upon  a  matter  of  which  pars  magna  Juit,  and 
seemed  impatient  till  he  got  rid  of  us.  Johnson  could 
not  stop  his  merriment,  but  continued  it  all  the  way  till 
he  got  without  the  Temple-gate.  He  then  burst  into 
such  a  fit  of  laughter,  that  he  appeared  to  be  almost  in 
a  convulsion  ;  and,  in  order  to  support  himself,  laid 
hold  of  one  of  the  posts  at  the  side  of  the  foot  pavement, 
and  sent  forth  peals  so  loud,  that  in  the  silence  of  the 
night  his  voice  seemed  to  resound  from  Temple-bar  to 
Tleet-ditch. 

This  most  ludicrous  exhibition  of  the  aweful,  melan- 
choly, and  venerable  Johnson,  happened  well  to  coun- 
teract the  feelings  of  sadness  which  1  used  to  experience 
when  parting  with  him  for  a  considerable  time.  1  ac- 
companied him  to  his  door,  where  he  gave  me  his  bless- 
ing. 

He  records  of  himself  this  year,  "  Between  Easter  and 
Whitsuntide,  having  always  considered  that  time  as  pro- 
pitious to  study,  I  attempted  to  learn  the  Low  Dutch 
language."^  It  is  to  be  observed,  that  he  here  admits 
an  opinion  of  the  human  mind  being  influenced  by  sea- 
sons, which  he  ridicules  in  his  writings.  His  progress, 
he  says,  was  interrupted  by  a  fever,  "  which,  by  the 
imprudent  use  of  a  small  print,  left  an  inflammation  in 
his  useful  eye."  We  cannot  but  admire  his  spirit  when 
we  know,  that  amidst  a  complication  of  bodily  and  men- 
tal distress,  he  was  still  animated  with  the  desire  of  in- 
tellectual improvement.  ^     Various  notes  of  his  studies 

'  Prayers  and  Meditations,  p.  129. 

'  [Not  six  months  before  his  death,  he  wished  me  to  teach  him  the  Scale  of  Mu- 
8ick ; — "■  Dr.  Burney,  teafh  me  at  least  the  alphabet  of  your  language."     B.] 


102  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  appear  on  different  days,  in  his  manuscript  diary  of  this 
^^  year  ;  such  as,  "  Inchoavia  lectionem  Pentateuchi — Fi- 
64.  nwi  lectionem  Conf.  Fab.  Burdonum. — Legi  primum  ac- 
tum Troadum. — Legi  Dissertationem  Clerici  postremam 
de  Pent. — 2  of  Clark^s  Sermons. — L.  Appolonii  pugnum 
Betriciam. — L.  centum  versus  Homeri.^^  Let  this  serve 
as  a  specimen  of  what  accessions  of  literature  he  was 
perpetually  infusing  into  his  mind,  while  he  charged 
himself  with  idleness. 

This  year  died  Mrs.  Salusbury,  (mother  of  Mrs. 
Thrale,)  a  lady  whom  he  appears  to  have  esteemed 
much,  and  whose  memory  he  honoured  with  an  Epi- 
taph.» 

In  a  letter  from  Edinburgh,  dated  the  29th  of  May, 
I  pressed  him  to  persevere  in  his  resolution  to  make 
this  year  the  projected  visit  to  the  Hebrides,  of  which 
he  and  I  had  talked  for  many  years,  and  which  I  was 
confident  would  afford  us  much  entertainment. 

"  TO  JAMES    BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  When  your  letter  came  to  me,  I  was  so  dark- 
ened by  an  inflammation  in  my  eye  that  I  could  not  for 
some  time  read  it.  1  can  now  write  without  trouble, 
and  can  read  large  prints.  My  eye  is  gradually  grow- 
ing stronger ;  and  1  hope  will  be  able  to  take  some  de- 
light in  the  survey  of  a  Caledonian  loch. 

"  Chambers  is  going  a  Judge,  with  six  thousand  a 
year,  to  Bengal.  He  and  i  shall  come  down  together 
as  far  as  Newcastle,  and  thence  1  shall  easily  get  to  Ed- 
inburgh. Let  me  know  the  exact  time  when  your 
Courts  intermit.  I  must  conform  a  little  to  Chambers's 
occasions,  and  he  must  conform  a  little  to  mine.  The 
time  which  you  shall  fix,  must  be  the  common  point  to 
which  we  will  come  as  near  as  we  can.  Except  this 
eye,  I  am  very  well. 

"  Beattie  is  so  caressed,  and  invited,  and  treated, 
and  liked,  and  flattered,  by  the  great,  that  I  can  see 
nothing  of  him.     1  am  in  great  hope  that  he  will  be 

*  Mrs.  Piozzi's  Anecdotes  of  Johnson,  p.  131. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  103 

well  provided  for,  and   then  we  will  live  upon  him  as  1773. 
the  Marischal  College,  without  pity  or  modesty.  MuX. 

" left  the  town  without  taking  leave  of  me,   04. 

and  is  e^one  in  deep  dudgeon  to .     Is  not  this 

very  childish  .'   Where  is  now  my  legacy  I 

"  1  hope  your  dear  lady  and  her  dear  baby  are  both 
well.  1  shall  see  them  too  when  i  come  ;  and  1  have 
that  opinion  of  your  choice,  as  to  suspect  that  when  I 
have  seen  Mrs.  Boswell,  1  shall  be  less  willing  to  go 
away.     1  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  Sam.  Johnson." 
•'  Johnson* s-court^  Fleet-street^  July  5,  1773." 

"  Write  to  me  as  soon  as  you  can.  Chambers  is  now 
at  Oxford." 

I  again  wrote  to  him,  informing  him  that  the  Court 
of  Session  rose  on  the  twelfth  of  August,  hoping  to  see 
him  before  that  time,  and  expressing,  perhaps  in  too 
extravagant  terms,  my  admiration  of  him,  and  my  ex- 
pectation of  pleasure  from  our  intended  tour. 

*'  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  SHALL  set  out  from  London  on  Friday  the 
sixth  of  this  month,  and  purpose  not  to  loiter  much  by 
the  way.  Which  day  I  shall  be  at  Edinburgh,  1  cannot 
exactly  tell.  1  suppose  1  must  drive  to  an  inn,  and 
send  a  porter  to  find  you. 

"  I  am  afraid  Beattie  will  not  be  at  his  College  soon 
enough  for  us,  and  1  shall  be  sorry  to  miss  him  ;  but 
there  is  no  staying  for  the  concurrence  of  all  convenien- 
ces.    We  will  do  as  well  as  we  can.     I  am.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  August  3,  1773.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

TO  THE  SAME. 
"   DEAR  SIR, 

"  Not  being  at  Mr.  Thrale's  when  your  letter 
came,  I  had   written  the  inclosed  paper  and  sealed  it ; 


104  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  bringing  it  hither  for  a  frank,  I  found  your's.  If  an}' 
^^  thing  could  repress  my  ardour,  it  xvould  be  such  a  let- 
64.  ter  as  yours.  To  disappoint  a  friend  is  unpleasing  :  and 
he  that  forms  expectations  like  yours,  must  be  disap- 
pointed. Think  only  when  you  see  me,  that  you  see  a 
man  who  loves  you,  and  is  proud  and  glad  that  you 
love  him.     1  am.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate, 
•'  August  3,  1773.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

TO  THE  SAME. 

"  DEAR  SIR,  "  Newcastle^  Aug.  11,  1773. 

"  I  CAME  hither  last  night,  and  hope,  but  do  not 
absolutely  promise  to  be  in  Edinburgh  on  Saturday, 
Beattie  will  not  come  so  soon.     I  am.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"Sam.  Johnson.'^ 
"  My  compliments  to  your  lady.' 


» 


TO  THE  SAME. 

"  Mr.  Johnson  sends  his  comphments  to  Mr.  Bos- 
well,  being  just  arrived  at  Boyd's." 

"  Saturday  Night.'* 

His  stay  in  Scotland  was  from  the  18th  of  August, 
on  which  day  he  arrived,  till  the  22d  of  November, 
when  he  set  out  on  his  return  to  London  ;  and  i  be- 
lieve ninety-four  days  were  never  passed  by  any  man 
in  a  more  vigorous  exertion. 

He  came  by  the  way  of  Berwick  upon  Tweed  to 
Edinburgh,  where  he  remained  a  few  days,  and  then 
went  by  St.  Andrew,  Aberdeen,  Inverness,  and  Fort 
Augustus,  to  the  Hebrides,  to  visit  which  was  the  prin- 
cipal object  he  had  in  view.  He  visited  the  isles  of 
Sky,  Rasay,  Col,  Mull,  Inchkenneth,  and  Icolmkill. 
He  travelled  through  Argyleshire  by  Inverary,  and 
from  thence  by  Lochlomond  and  Dunbarton  to  Glas- 
gow, then  by  Loudon  to  Auchinleck  in  Ayrshire,  the 
seat  of  my  family,  and  then  by  Hamilton,  back  to  Edin- 
burgh, where  he  again  spent  some  time.  He  thus  saw 


DR.    JOHNSON.  105 

the  four  Univei"sities  of  Scotland,  its  three  principal  I77n, 
cities,  and  as  much  of  the  Highland  and  insular  life  as  ^^ 
was  sufficient  for  his   j)hilos(iphical  contemplation.     I    (j4_  ' 
had  the  pleasure  of  accouipaii\  iug-  hiui  diuiugthe  whole 
of  his  journey.     He  was  respccttully  entertained  by  the 
great,  the  learned,  and  the  elegant,  wherever  he  went ; 
nor  was  he  less  delighted  with  the  hospitality  which  he 
experienced  in  humbler  life. 

liis  various  adventures,  and  the  force  and  vivacity  of 
his  mind,  as  exercised  during  this  peregrination,  upon 
innumerable  topicks,  have  been  faithfully,  and  to  the 
best  of  my  abilities,  displayed  in  my  "  Journal  of  a  four 
to  the  Hebrides,"  to  which,  as  the  publick  has  been 
pleased  to  honour  it  by  a  very  extensive  circulation,  I 
beg  leave  to  refer,  as  to  a  separate  and  remarkable  por- 
tion of  his  life,'  which  may  be  there  seen  in  detail,  and 
which  exhibits  as  strikmg  a  view  of  his  powers  in  con- 
versation, us  his  works  do  of  his  excellence  in  writing. 
Nor  can  1  deny  to  myself  the  very  flattering  gratifica- 
tion of  inserting  here  the  character  which  my  friend 
Mr.  Courtenay  has  been  pleased  to  give  of  that  work  ; 

"  AVith  Reynolds' pencil,  vivid,  bold,  and  true, 

"  So  fervent  Boswell  gives  him  to  our  view  : 

*'  In  every  trait  we  see  his  mind  expand  ; 

"  The  master  rises  by  the  pupil's  hand  ; 

"  We  love  the  wTiter,  praise  his  happy  vein, 

"  Grac'd  with  the  naivete  of  the  sage  Monlagne. 

"  Hence  not  alone  are  brighter  parts  displayed, 

"  But  e'en  the  specks  of  character  pourtray'd  : 

"  We  see  the  Rambler  with  fastidious  smile 

*'  Mark  the  lone  tree,  and  note  the  heath-clad  isle  ; 

"  But  when  th'  heroick  tale  of  Flora's^  charms, 

"  Deck'd  in  a  kilt,  he  wields  a  chieftain's  arms  : 

'[The  authoiir  was  not  a  small  gainer  by  this  extraordinary  Journey;  for  Dr- 
Johnson  thus  writes  to  Mrs.  Thrale,  Nov.  ^,  1773  •  "  Boswell  will  praise  my  reso- 
lution and  perseverance,  and  I  shall  in  return  celebrate  his  good  humour  and  per-  ' 
petual  cheenulness.  He  has  better  faculties  than  I  had  imagined  ;  more  justness 
of  discernment,  and  more  fecundity  of  images.  It  is  very  convenient  to  travel  w  ith 
him  ;  for  there  is  no  house  where  he  is  net  received  with  kindness  and  rcspec:."' 
Let.  90,  to  Mrs.  Thrale.     M.] 

-  "  The  celebrated  Flora  Macdonald."     See  Boswell  s  Tc.v. 

vor.  ir.  14 


106  THE    LIFE    OF 

1773.  "  Xhe  tuneful  piper  sounds  a  martial  strain. 


je[^^  "  And  Samuel  sings, '  The  King  shall  have  his  ain.^^ 
64.  ' 

During  his  stay  at  Edinburgh,  after  his  return  from 
the  Hebrides,  he  was  at  great  pains  to  obtain  informa- 
tion concerning  Scotland  ;  and  it  will  appear  from  his 
subsequent  letters,  that  he  was  not  less  solicitous  for 
intelligence  on  this  subject  after  his  return  to  London. 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"1  CAME  home  last  night,  without  any  incom- 
modity,  danger,  or  weariness,  and  am  ready  to  begin  a 
new  journey.  1  shall  go  to  Oxford  on  Monday.  I  know 
Mrs.  Boswell  wished  me  well  to  go  ;^  her  wishes  have 
not  been  disappointed.  Mrs.  Williams  has  received 
Sir  A.'s*  letter. 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  all  those  to  whom  my 
J        compliments  may  be  welcome. 

"  Let  the  box^  be  sent  as  soon  as  it  can,  and  let  me 
know  when  to  expect  it. 

"  Enquire,  if  you  can,  the  order  of  the  Clans  :  Mac- 
donald  is  first,  Maclean  second ;  further  1  cannot  go. 
Quicken  Dr.  Webster.^     I  am.  Sir, 

"  Your's  affectionately, 

"  Nov,  27,  1773.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 


5  In  this  he  shewed  a  very  acute  penetration.  IVIy  wife  paid  him  the  most  assid- 
uous and  respectful  attention,  while  he  was  our  guest ;  so  that  I  wonder  how  he 
discovered  her  wishing  for  liis  departure.  The  truth  is,  that  his  irregular  hours 
and  uncouth  habits,  such  as  turning  the  candles  with  their  heads  downwards,  when 
they  did  not  burn  bright  enough,  and  letting  the  wax  drop  upon  the  carpet,  could 
not  but  be  disagreeable  to  a  lady.  Besides,  she  had  not  that  high  admiration  ot 
him  which  was  felt  by  most  of  those  who  knew  him  ;  and  what  was  very  natural 
to  a  female  mind,  she  thought  he  had  too  much  influence  over  her  husband.  She 
once  in  a  little  warmth,  made,  with  more  point  than  justice,  this  remark  upon  that , 
subject :  "  I  have  seen  many  a  bear  led  by  a  man  ;  but  1  never  before  saw  a  many 
led  by  a  bear."  • 

•^  Sir  Alexander  Gordon,  one  of  the  Professors  at  Aberdeen. 

■•This  was  a  box  containing  a  number  of  curious  things  which  he  had  picked  up 
in  Scotland,  particularly  some  horn  spoons. 

'  The  Reverend  Dr.  Alexander  Webster,  one  of  the  ministers  of  Edinburgh,  a 
man  of  distinguished  abilities,  who  had  promised  him  information  concerning  tlie 
Highlands  and  Islands  of  Scotland. 


h 


DR.    JOHNSON.  107 

"  MR.  BOSWELL  TO  DR.  JOHNSON.  '^'^^* 

"  Eilinburgit,  Dec.  2,  1773.    ^}^^' 

''  You  shall  have  what  information  1  can  procure 
as  to  the  order  of  the  Clans.  A  gentleman  of  the  name 
o{  Grant  tells  me,  that  there  is  no  settled  order  among 
them  ;  and  he  says,  that  the  Macdonalds  were  not 
placed  upon  the  right  of  the  army  at  Culloden  ;  the 
Stuarts  were.  1  shall,  however,  examine  witnesses  of 
every  name  that  1  can  find  here.  Dr.  Webster  shall  be 
quickened  too.  i  like  your  little  memorandums  ;  thev 
are  symptoms  of  your  being  in  earnest  with  your  book  of 
northern  travels. 

"  Your  box  shall  be  sent  next  week  by  sea.  You 
will  find  in  it  some  pieces  of  the  broom  bush,  which 
you  saw  growing  on  the  old  castle  of  Auchinleck.  The 
wood  has  a  curious  appearance  when  sawn  across.  You 
may  either  have  a  little  writing-standish  made  of  it,  or 
get  it  formed  into  boards  for  a  treatise  on  witchcraft,  by 

way  of  a  suitable  binding." 

****** 

"  MR.  BOSWELL  TO  DR.  JOHNSON. 

"  Edinburgh,  Dec.  18,  1773. 
*****   '^* 

*'  You  promised  me  an  inscription  for  a  print  to 
be  taken  from  an  historical  picture  of  Mary  Queen  of 
Scots  being  forced  to  resign  her  crown,  which  Mr.  Ham- 
ilton at  Rome  has  painted  for  me.  The  two  following 
have  been  sent  to  me  : 

'  Maria  Scotorum  Regina  meUori  seculo  digna^jus  re~ 
gium  civibus  seditiosis  invita  resignat.' 

*  Cives  seditiosi  Mariam  Scotorum  Reginam  sese  mu- 
neri  abdicare  invitam  cogunt? 

"  Be  so  good  as  to  read  the  passage  in  Robertson, 
and  see  if  you  cannot  give  me  a  better  inscription.  1 
must  have  it  both  in  Latin  and  English  ;  so  if  you 


108  THE    LIFE    OF 

J 774.  should  not  give  me  another  Latin  one,  you  will  at  least 
"^^  choose  the  best  of  these    two,  and   send  a  translation 

65.    of  It. 

****** 

His  humane  forgiving  disposition  was  put  to  a  pretty 
strong  test  on  his  return  to  London,  by  a  liberty  which 
Mr.  Thomas  Davies  had  taken  with  him  in  his  absence, 
which  was,  to  publish  two  volumes  entitled,  "  Miscel- 
laneous and  Fugitive  Pieces,"  which  he  advertised  in 
the  news-papers,  "  By  the  Authour  of  the  Rambler." 
In  this  collection,  several  of  Dr.  Johnson's  acknowl- 
edged writings,  several  of  his  anonymous  performances, 
and  some  which  he  had  written  for  others,  were  insert- 
ed ;  but  there  were  also  some  in  which  he  had  no  con- 
cern whatever.  He  was  at  first  very  angry,  as  he  had 
good  reason  to  be.  But,  upon  consideration  of  his  poor 
friend^s  narrow  circumstances,  and  that  he  had  only  a 
little  profit  in  view  and  meant  no  harm,  he  soon  relent- 
ed, and  continued  his  kindness  to  him  as  formerly. 

In  the  course  of  his  self-examination  with  retrospect 
to  this  year,  he  seems  to  have  been  much  dejected  ;  for 
he  says,  January  1,  1774,  ^'  This  year  has  passed  with 
so  little  improvement,  that  I  doubt  whether  I  have  not 
rather  impaired  than  increased  my  learning  :"^  and  yet 
we  have  seen  how  he  read^  and  we  know  how  he  talked 
during  that  period. 

He  was  now  seriously  engaged  in  writing  an  account 
of  our  travels  in  the  Hebrides,  in  consequence  of  which 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  a  more  frequent  correspondence 
with  him. 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAK  SIR, 

"  My  operations  have  been  hindered  by  a  cough  , 
at  least  I  flatter  myself,  that  if  my  cough  had  not  come, 
1  should  have  been  further  advanced.     But  1  have  had 

no  intelligence  from  Dr.  W ,  [Webster,]  nor  from 

the  Excise-office,  nor  from  you.     No  account  of  the 

'  Prayers  and  Meditations,  p.  129, 


UR.    JOHNSON.  109 

little   borough.*      Nothing^  of  the  Erse   language.     I  1774. 
have  yet  heard  nothing  ot  ujy  box.  ^^ 

"  YoM  must  make  haste  and  gather  me  all  you   can,    65. 
and  do  it  (juickly,  or  I  will  and  shall  do  without  it. 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Boswell,  and  tell 
her  that  1  do  not  love  her  the  less  for  wishing  me  away. 
1  gave  her  trouble  enough,  and  shall  be  glad  in  recom- 
pence,  to  give  her  any  pleasure. 

"  1  would  send  some  porter  into  the  Hebrides,  if  I 
knew  which  way  it  could  be  got  to  my  kind  friends 
there.     Enquire,  and  let  me  know. 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  all  the  Doctors  of  Edin- 
burgh, and  to  all  my  friends,  from  one  end  of  Scotland 
to  the  other. 

"  Write  to  me,  and  send  me  what  intelligence  you 
can  :  and  if  any  thing  is  too  bulky  for  the  post,  let  me 
have  it  by  the  carrier.  1  do  not  like  trusting  winds 
and  waves.     1  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most,  &c. 
"  Ja>i.  29,  1774.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

TO  THE  SAME. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  In  adav  or  two  after  I  had  written  the  last  dis- 
contented  letter,  I  received  my  box,  which  was  very 
welcome.  But  still  1  must  entreat  you  to  hasten  Dr. 
Webster,  and  continue  to  pick  up  what  you  can  that 
may  be  useful. 

"  ^Ir.  Oglethorpe  was  with  me  this  morning,  you 
know  his  errand.     He  was  not  unwelcome. 

"  Tell  Mrs.  Boswell  that  my  good  intentions  towards 
her  still  continue.  1  should  be  glad  to  do  any  thing 
that  would  either  benefit  or  please  her. 

"  Chambers  is  not  yet  gone,  but  so  hurried,  or  so 
negligent,  or  so  proud,  that  I  rarely  see  him.  I  have 
indeed,  for  some  weeks  past,  been  very  ill  of  a  cold  and 
cough,  and  have  been  at  Mrs.  Thrale/s,  that  1  might  be 
taken  care  of.  I  am  much  better ;  nnvte  redeunt  in 
pra'lia  vires ;  but  1  am  yet  tender,  and  easily  disorder- 

^  The  ancient  Burgh  of  Prestick,  in  Ayrshire. 


ilO  IHE    LIFE    OF 

1774.  ed.     How  happy  it  was  that  neither  of  us  were  ill  in 
^^  the  Hebrides. 

65.  '  "  The  question  of  Literary  Property  is  this  day  be- 
fore the  Lords.  Murphy  drew  up  the  Appellant's  case, 
that  is,  the  plea  against  the  perpetual  right.  1  have 
not  seen  it,  nor  heard  the  decision.  I  would  not  have 
the  right  perpetual. 

"  1  will  write  to  you  as  any  thing  occurs,  and  do  you 
send  me  something  about  my  Scottish  friends.  I  have 
very  great  kindness  for  them.  Let  me  know  likewise 
how  fees  come  in,  and  when  we  are  to  see  you.  I  am. 
Sir, 

"  Yours  affectionately, 
"  London^  Feb.  7,  1774-.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

He  at  this  time  wrote  the  following  letters  to  Mr. 
Steevens,  his  able  associate  in  editing  Shakspeare : 

"  TO  GEORGE  STEEVENS,   ESQ.  IN  HAMPSTEAD. 
'*  SIR, 

"  If  I  am  asked  when  I  have  seen  Mr.  Steevens, 
you  know  what  answer  I  must  give ;  if  I  am  asked 
when  1  shall  see  him,  I  wish  you  would  tell  me  what 
to  say. 

"  If  you  have  '  Lesley's  History  of  Scotland,'  or  any 
other  book  about  Scotland,  except  Boetius  and  Buchan- 
an, it  will  be  a  kindness  if  you  send  them  to.  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 
"  Feb.  7,  1774.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

TO  THE    SAME. 
"  SIR, 

"  We  are  thinking  to  augment  our  club,  and  lam 
-  desirous  of  nominating  you,  if  you  care  to  stand  the 
ballot,  and  can  attend  on  Friday  nights  at  least  twice 
in  five  weeks :  less  than  this  is  too  little,  and  rather 
more  will  be  expected.  Be  pleased  to  let  me  know 
before  Friday.     I  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most,  &c. 
"  Feb.  21,  1774.  "  Sam.  Johnson. 


>j 


DR.   JOHNSON.  .  Ill 

1774. 
TO  THE  SAME.  v-*-.-w 

,,  ^tat. 

SIR'  65. 

"  Last  night  you  became  a  member  of  the  club  ; 
if  you  call  on  me  on  Friday,  1  will  introduce  you.  A 
gentleman,  proposed  after  you,  was  rejected. 

"  I  thank  you  for  Neander,  but  wish  he  were  not  so 
fine.     1  will  take  care  of  him.     1  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 
"  March  j,  1774.  "Sam.  Johnson." 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWLLL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  Dr.  Webster's  informations  were  much  less 
exact  and  much  less  determinate  than  I  expected  :  they 
are,  indeed,  much  less  positive  than,  if  he  can  trust  his 
own  book'  which  he  laid  before  me,  he  is  able  to  give. 
But  1  believe  it  will  always  be  found,  that  he  who  calls 
much  for  information  will  advance  his  work  but  slowly. 

"  1  am,  however,  obliged  to  you,  dear  Sir,  for  your 
endeavours  to  help  me,  and  hope,  that  between  us 
something  will  some  time  be  done,  if  not  on  this  on 
some  occasion. 

"  Chambers  is  either  married,  or  almost  married,  to 
Miss  Wilton,  a  girl  sixteen,  exquisitely  beautiful, 
whom  he  has  with  his  lawyer's  tongue,  persuaded  to 
take  her  chance  with  him  in  the  East. 

"We  have  added  to  the  club,  Charles  Fox,  Sir  Charles 
Bunbury,  Dr.  Fordyce,  and  Mr.  Steevens. 

"  Ileturn  my  thanks  to  Dr.  Webster.  Tell  Dr.  Rob- 
ertson 1  have  not  much  to  reply  to  his  censure  of  my 
negligence ;  and  tell  Dr.  Blair,  that  since  he  has  writ- 
ten hither  what  1  said  to  him,  we  must  now  consider 
ourselves  as  even,  forgive  one  another,  and  begin  again, 
I  care  not  how  soon,  for  he  is  a  very  pleasing  man. 
Pay  my  compliments  to  all  my  friends,  and  remind 
Lord  Elibank  of  his  promise  to  give  me  all  his  works. 

'  A  manuscript  account  drawn  by  Dr.  Webster  of  all  the  parishes  in  Scotland- 
ascertaining  their  length,  breadth,  number  of  inhabitants,  and  distinguishing  Prot- 
estants and  Roman  Catholicks.  T!iis  book  had  been  tr.ansmitted  to  governments 
and  Dr.  Johnson  saw  a  copy  of  it  io  Dr.  Webster's  possessian^ 


112  THE    LIFE    OF 

1774.      "  I  hope  Mrs.  Boswell  and  little  Miss  are  well.— 

^£^  When  shall  I  see  them  again  ?  She  is  a  sweet  lady,  only 

f)5.  *  she  was  so  glad  to  see   me  go,  that  I  have  almost  a 

mind  to  come  again,  that  she  may  again  have  the  same 

pleasure. 

"  Enquire  if  it  be  practicable  to  send  a  small  present 
of  a  cask  of  porter  to  Dunvegan,  Rasay,  and  Col.  I 
would  not  wish  to  be  thought  forgetful  of  civilities.  I 
am,  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 
«  March  5,  1774-.  "  Sam.  Johnson.'' 

On  the  5th  of  March  I  wrote  to  him,  requesting  his 
counsel  whether  1  should  this  spring  come  to  London. 
I  stated  to  him  on  the  one  hand  some  pecuniary  em- 
barrassments, which,  together  with  my  wife's  situation 
at  that  time,  made  me  hesitate  ;  and,  on  the  other,  the 
pleasure  and  improvement  which  my  annual  visit  to 
the  metropolis  always  afforded  me  ;  and  particularly 
mentioned  a  peculiar  satisfaction  which  I  experienced 
in  celebrating  the  festival  of  Easter  in  St.  Paul's  cathe- 
dral ;  that  to  my  fancy  it  appeared  like  going  up  to  Je- 
rusalem at  the  feast  of  the  Passover ;  and  that  the 
strong  devotion  which  I  felt  on  that  occasion  diffused 
its  influence  on  my  mind  through  the  rest  of  the  year. 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,    ESQ. 

ct  r\r^  kT>   CTT>  [^°'-  *^^*^<^'  ^^^  written  about 

DEAR  SIR,  the  15th  of  March.] 

"  I  AM  ashamed  to  think  that  since  I  received 
your  letter  I  have  passed  so  many  days  without  answer- 
ing it. 

"  I  think  there  is  no  great  difficulty  in  resolving 
your  doubts.  The  reasons  for  which  you  are  inclined 
to  visit  London,  are,  1  think,  not  of  sufficient  strength 
to  answer  the  objections.  That  you  should  delight  to 
come  once  a  year  to  the  fountain  of  intelligence  and 
pleasure,  is  very  natural  ;  but  both  information  and 
pleasure  must  be  regulated  by  propriety.  Pleasure, 
which  cannot  be  obtained  but  by  unseasonable  or  un- 
suitable cxpence,  must  always  end  in  pain  ;  and  pleas- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  113 

ure,  which  must  be  enjoyed  at  the  expence  of  another's  1774. 
pain,  can  never  be  such  as  a  worthy  mind  can  fully  de-  ^^'^ 
light  in.  0.1.  ' 

"  \V  hat  improvement  you  might  gain  by  coming  to 
London,  ynii  may  easily  supply  or  easily  compensate, 
by  enjoining  yourself  some  particular  study  at  iiome, 
or  opening  some  new  avenue  to  information.  Edin- 
burgh is  not  yet  exhausted  ;  and  I  am  sure  you  will 
find  no  pleasure  here  which  can  deserve  either  that  you 
should  anticipate  any  part  of  your  future  fortune,  or 
that  you  should  condemn  yourself  and  your  lady  to  pe- 
nurious frugality  for  the  rest  of  the  year. 

"  I  need  not  tell  you  what  regard  you  owe  to  Mrs. 
Boswell's  entreaties  ;  or  how  much  you  ought  to  study 
the  happiness  of  her  who  studies  yours  with  so  much 
diligence,  and  of  whose  kindness  you  enjoy  such  good 
effects.  Life  cannot  subsist  in  society  but  by  recipro- 
cal concessions.  She  permitted  you  to  ramble  last 
year,  you  must  permit  her  now  to  keep  you  at  home. 

"  Your  last  reason  is  so  serious,  that  I  am  unwilling 
to  oppose  it.  Yet  you  must  remember,  that  your  im- 
age of  worshipping  once  a  year  in  a  certain  place,  in  im- 
itation of  the  Jews,  is  but  a  comparison  ;  and  simile 
nou  est  idem;  if  the  annual  resort  to  Jerusalem  was  a 
duty  to  the  Jews,  it  was  a  duty  because  it  was  com- 
manded ;  and  you  have  no  such  command,  therefore 
no  such  duty.  It  may  be  dangerous  to  receive  too 
readily,  and  indulge  too  fondly,  opinions,  from  which, 
perhaps,  no  pious  mind  is  wholly  disengaged,  of  local 
sanctity  and  local  devotion.  You  know  what  strange 
effects  they  have  produced  over  a  great  part  of  the 
Christian  world.  I  am  now  writing,  and  you,  when 
you  read  this,  are  reading  under  the  eye  of  Omnipres- 
ence. 

"  To  what  degree  fancy  is  to  be  admitted  into  relig- 
ious offices,  it  would  require  much  deliberation  to  de- 
termine. I  am  far  from  intending  totally  to  exclude 
it.  Fancy  is  a  faculty  bestowed  by  our  Creator,  and  it 
is  reasonable  that  all  his  gifts  should  be  used  to  his  glo- 
ry, that  all  our  faculties  should  co-operate  in  his  wor- 
ship ;  but  they  are  to  co-operate  according  to  the  will 

VOL.  It.  \5 


il4  THE    LIFE    OF 

i774.  of  him  that  gave  them,  according  to  the  order  which 
^^  his  wisdom  has  estabhshed.  As  ceremonies  pruden- 
65.  tial  or  convenient  are  less  obligatory  than  positive  ordi- 
nances, as  bodily  worship  is  only  the  token  to  others 
or  ourselves  of  mental  adoration,  so  Fancy  is  always  to 
act  in  subordination  to  Reason.  We  may  take  Fancy 
for  a  companion,  but  must  follow  Reason  as  our  guide. 
We  may  allow  Fancy  to  suggest  certain  ideas  in  certain 
places  ;  but  Reason  must  always  be  heard,  when  she 
tells  us,  that  those  ideas  and  those  places  have  no  nat- 
ural or  necessary  relation.  When  we  enter  a  church 
we  habitually  recall  to  mind  the  duty  of  adoration,  but 
we  must  not  omit  adoration  for  want  of  a  temple  ;  be- 
cause we  know,  and  ought  to  remember,  that  the  Uni- 
versal Lord  is  every  where  present  ;  and  that,  there- 
fore, to  come  to  Jona,  or  to  Jerusalem,  though  it  may 
be  useful,  cannot  be  necessary. 

"  Thus  I  have  answered  your  letter,  and  have  not 
answered  it  negligently.  I  love  you  too  well  to  be 
careless  when  you  are  serious. 

"  1  think  I  shall  be  very  diligent  next  week  about 
our  travels,  which  I  have  too  long  neglected.  1  am, 
dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most,  &c. 

"  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  Compliments  to  Madam  and  Miss." 

TO  THE  SAME. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  The  lady  who  delivers  this  has  a  lawsuit,  in 
which  she  desires  to  make  use  of  your  skill  and  elo- 
quence, and  she  seems  to  think  that  she  shall  have 
something  more  of  both  for  a  recommendation  from  me  ; 
which,  though  I  know  how  little  you  want  any  exter- 
nal incitement  to  your  duty,  I  could  not  refuse  her, 
because  1  know  that  at  least  it  will  not  hurt  her,  to  tell 
you  that  I  wish  her  well.     1  am.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  3%  10,  1774.  "  SaxM.  Johnson." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  115 

''  MR.  BOSWELL  TO  DR.  JOHNSON.  >774. 

"  Edinburgh,  Maij  12,  1774.  S"^ 
"Lord  IIailes  has  begged  of  me  to  offer  you  1'5. 
his  best  respects,  and  to  transmit  to  you  specimens  of 
'  Annals  of  Scotland,  from  the  Accession  of  Malcolm 
Kenmorc  to  the  Death  of  James  V.'  in  drawing  up 
which,  his  Lordship  has  been  engaged  for  some  time. 
His  Lordship  writes  to  me  thus  :  '  If  1  could  procure 
Dr.  Johnson's  criticisms,  they  would  be  of  great  use  to 
me  in  the  prosecution  of  my  work,  as  they  would  be 
judicious  and  true.  I  have  no  right  to  ask  that  favour 
of  him.     If  you  could,  it  would  highly  oblige  me.' 

"  Dr.  Blair  requests  you  may  be  assured  that  he  did 
not  write  to  London  what  you  said  to  him,  and  that 
neither  by  word  nor  letter  has  he  made  the  least  com- 
plaint of  you;  but  on  the  contrary  has  a  high  respect 
for  you,  and  loves  you  much  more  since  he  saw  you  in 
Scotland.  It  would  both  divert  and  please  you  to  see 
his  eagerness  about  this  matter." 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 

"  DEAR  SIR,  Streatham,  June  12,  1774. 

"  Yesterday  I  put  the  first  sheet  of  the  '  Jour- 
ney to  the  Hebrides'  to  the  press.  I  have  endeavour- 
ed to  do  you  some  justice  in  the  first  paragraph.  It  will 
be  one  volume  in  octavo,  not  thick. 

"  It  will  be  proper  to  make  some  presents  in  Scotland. 
You  shall  tell  me  to  whom  I  shall  give  ;  and  I  have 
stipulated  twenty-five  for  you  to  give  in  your  own  name. 
Some  will  take  the  present  better  from  me,  others  bet- 
ter from  you.  In  this,  you  who  are  to  live  in  the  place 
ought  to  direct.  Consider  it.  Whatever  you  can  get 
for  my  purpose  send  me  ;  and  make  my  compliments 
to  your  lady  and  both  the  young  ones. 

•'  1  am,  Sir,  your,  &c. 

"  Sam.  Johnson." 

*'  mr.  boswell  to  dr.  johnson. 

"  Edinburgh,  June  Q A,  1774. 
"  You  do  not  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  the  vari- 
ous packets  which  1  have  sent  to  you.     Neither  can  1 


116  THE    LIFE    OF 

1774.  prevail  with  you  to  answer  my  letters,  though  you  hon- 
our me  with  returns.  You  have  said  nothing  to  me 
about  poor  Goldsmith,'  nothing  about  Langton. 

"  1  have  received  for  you,  from  the  Society  for  prop- 
agating Christian  Knowledge  in  Scotland,  the  following 
Erse  books  :  — '  The  New  Testament  ;' — '  Baxter's 
Call ;' — '  The  Confession  of  Faith  of  the  Assembly  of 
Divines  at  Westminster ;' — '  The  Mother's  Catechism  ;' 
— '  A  Gaelick  and  English  Vocabulary."^ 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,   ESQ. 
''  DEAR  SIR, 

"  1  WISH  you  could  have  looked  over  my  book  be- 
fore the  printer,  but  it  could  not  easily  be.  I  suspect 
some  mistakes  ;  but  as  1  deal,  perhaps,  more  in  notions 
than  in  facts,  the  matter  is  not  great,  and  the  second 
edition  will  be  mended,  if  any  such  there  be.  The 
press  will  go  on  slowly  for  a  time,  because  I  am  going 
into  VV^ales  to-morrow. 

"  I  should  be  very  sorry  if  I  appeared  to  treat  such  a 
character  as  Lord  Hailes  otherwise  than  with  high  re- 
spect. I  return  the  sheets, ^  to  which  1  have  done 
what  mischief  1  could  ;  and  finding  it  so  little,  thought 
not  much  of  sending  them.  The  narrative  is  clear,' 
lively,  and  short. 

"  1  have  done  worse  to  Lord  Hailes  than  by  neglect- 
ing his  sheets :  1  have  run  him  in  debt.  Dr.  Home, 
the  President  of  Magdalen  College  in  Oxford,  wrote  to 
me  about  three  months  ago,  that  he  purposed  to  reprint 
Walton's  Lives,  and  desired  me  to  contribute  to  the 
work  :  my  answer  was,  that  Lord  Hailes  intended  the 
same  publication  ;  and  Dr.  Home  has  resigned  it  to 
him.     His  Lordship  must  now  think  seriously  about  it. 

"  Of  poor  dear  Dr.  Goldsmith  there  is  little  to  be 
told,  more  than  the  papers  have  made  publick.     He  di- 

'  Dr.  Goldsmith  died  April  4,  this  year. 

2  These  books  Dr.  Johnson  presented  to  the  Bodleian  Library. 

^  On  the  cover  enclosing  them,  Dr.  Johnson  wrote,  "  If  my  delay  has  given  any 
reason  for  supposing  that  I  have  not  a  very  deep  sense  of  the  honour  done  me  by 
asking  my  judgement,  I  am  very  sorry." 


DK.    JOHNSON.  I  i; 

ed  of  a  fever,  made,  I  am  afraid,  more  violent  by  unea-  i774. 
siness  of  mind.     His  debts  began  to  be  heavy,  and  all  '^^^ 
his  resources  were  exhausted.     Sir  Joshua  is  of  opinion   6.5. 
that  he  owed  not  less  than  two  thousand  pounds.    Was 
ever  poet  so  trusted  before  ] 

"  You  may,  if  you  please,  put  the  inscription  thus  : 

'  j\Jaria  Scoiornm  Regina  tiutu  1 J — ,  u  suis  in  exilium 
iirtu  \5 — ,  ab  hospitd  neci  data  15 — .'  You  must  find 
the  years. 

"  Of  your  second  daughter  you  certainly  gave  the  ac- 
count yourself,  though  you  have  forgotten  it.  While 
Mrs.  Hoswell  is  well,  never  doubt  of  a  boy.  Mrs. 
Thrale  brought,  I  think,  five  girls  running,  but  while  I 
was  with  you  she  had  a  boy. 

"  1  am  obliged  to  you  for  all  your  pamphlets,  and  of 
the  last  1  hope  to  make  some  use.  1  made  some  of 
the  former. 

"  I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate  servant, 
"  Julij  4,  1774.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  My  comphments  to  all  the  three  ladies." 

"  TO     BENNET     LANGTON,    ESQ.    AT     LANGTON,    NEAR 
SPILSBY, LINCOLNSHIRE. 

"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  You  have  reason  to  reproach  me  that  I  have  left 
your  last  letter  so  long  unanswered,  but  1  had  nothing 
particular  to  say.  Chambers,  you  find,  is  gone  far,  and 
poor  Goldsmith  is  gone  much  further.  He  died  of  a 
fever,  exasperated,  as  I  believe,  by  the  fear  of  distress. 
He  had  raised  money  and  squandered  it,  by  every  arti- 
fice of  acquisition  and  folly  of  expence.  But  let  not 
his  frailties  be  remembered  ;  he  was  a  very  great  man. 

*'  I  have  just  begun  to  print  my  Journey  to  the  He- 
brides, and  am  leaving  the  press  to  take  another  jour- 
ney into  Wales,  whither  Mr.  Thrale  is  going,  to  take 
possession  of,  at  least,  five  hundred  a  year,  fallen  to  his 
lady.     All  atStreatham,  that  are  alive,  are  well. 

"I  have  never  recovered  from  the  last  dreadful  ill- 
ness, but  flatter  myself  that  I  grow  gradnally  better  ; 
much,  however,  yet  remains  to  mend.     Kyf/e  iumov. 


1  18  THE    LIFE    OF 

1774.       "  If  you  have  the  Latin   version  of  Busij^  curious, 
^^^^  thirsty  ji.tj ^  be  so  kind  as  to  transcribe  and  send  it ;  but 
you  need  not  be  in  haste,  for  I  shall  be  I  know  not 
where,  for  at  least  five  weeks.     I  wrote  the  following 
tetrastick  on  poor  Goldsmith  : 

*'  Tov  Toctpov  uaofxa.^  toy  OKi&a^ioio,  Kovim 

A9f5(rt  ^w  ae^KW,  —t/ye.  Troiitrji  ttcctu' 
"  OTai  jUif^yi>^i  (pv^t^,  f/Xr^ciy  X^?"'^  ^^1°^  ttolkoliw 
*'  KhaitTi  TTomryw,  hrofiKov,  (pvaiKov, 

"  Please  to  make  my  most  respectful  comphments  to 

all  the  ladies,  and  remember  me  to  young  George  and  his 

sisters.     I  reckon  George  begins  to  shew  a  pair  of  heels. 

"  Do  not  be  sullen  now,  but  let  me  find  a  letter  when 

1  come  back.     I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  affectionate,  humble  servant, 
"  Ju^i/  6,  177^.  "  Sam.  Johnson/^ 

"  TO  MR.  ROBERT  LEVET. 

''^  Llezvenny,  iti  Denbighshire,  August  16,  1774. 

"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  Mr.  Thrale's  affairs  have  kept  him  here  a 
great  while,  nor  do  I  know  exactly  when  we  shall 
come  hence.  I  have  sent  you  a  bill  upon  Mr.  Strahan. 
"  I  have  made  nothing  of  the  Ipecacuanha,  but  have 
taken  abundance  of  pills,  and  hope  that  they  have 
done  me  good. 

"  Wales,  so  far  as  I  have  yet  seen  of  it,  is  a  very 
beautiful  and  rich  country,  all  enclosed,  and  planted. 
Denbigh  is  not  a  mean  town.  Make  my  compliments 
to  all  my  friends,  and  tell  Frank  I  hope  he  remembers 
my  advice.  When  his  money  is  out,  let  him  have 
more.     I  am,  Sir, 

"Your  humble  servant, 

"Sam.  Johnson." 

"  mr.  bosavell  to  dr.  johnson. 

''Edinburgh,  Aug.  30,  1774. 
"  You  have  given  me  an  inscription  for  a  portrait 
of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  in  which  you,  in  a  short  and 


DR.    JOHNSON.  119 

Striking  manner,  point  out  her  hard  fate.  But  you  wiil  i774. 
be  pleased  to  keep  in  mind,  that  my  picture  is  a  repre-  ^^ 
sentation  ot'a  particular  scene  in  her  history;  herljeing  t;-,. 
forced  to  resign  her  crown,  while  she  was  imprisoned 
in  the  castle  of  Lochle\  in.  1  must,  therefore,  beg  that 
you  will  be  kind  enough  to  give  uie  an  inscription  suit- 
ed to  that  particular  scene;  or  determine  which  of  the 
two  formerly  transmitted  to  you  is  the  best  ;  and  at  any 
rale,  favour  me  with  an  English  translation.  It  will  be 
doubly  kind  if  you  comply  with  ray  request  speedily. 
"  Your  critical  notes  on  the  specimen  of  Lord 
Hailes's  '  Annals  of  Scotland,'  are  excellent.  I  agreed 
with  you  on  every  one  of  them.  He  himself  objected 
only  to  the  alteration  oi  free  to  bruie^  in  the  passage 
where  he  says  that  Edward  '  departed  with  the  glory 
due  to  the  conqueror  of  a  free  people.'  He  says,  to 
call  the  Scots  brave  would  only  add  to  the  o^lorv  of 
their  conquerour.  You  will  make  allowance  for  the 
national  zeal  of  our  annalist.  I  now  send  a  few  more 
leaves  of  the  Annals,  which  I  hope  you  will  peruse,  and 
return  with  observations,  as  you  did  upon  the  former 
occasion.  Lord  Hailes  writes  to  me  thus  :  '  Mr.  Bos- 
well  will  be  pleased  to  express  the  grateful  sense  which 
Sir  David  Dalrymple  has  of  Dr.  Johnson's  attention  to  his 
little  specimen.     The  further  specimen  will  show,  that 

*  Even  in  an  Edward  he  can  see  desert/ 

"  It  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  hear  that  a  republica- 
tion of  Isaac  Walton's  Lives  is  intended.  You  have 
been  in  a  mistake  in  thinking  that  Lord  Hailes  had  it  in 
view.  I  remember  one  morning,  while  he  sat  with  you 
in  my  house,  he  said,  that  there  should  be  a  new^  edi- 
tion of  Walton's  Lives  ;  and  you  said  that  '  they  should 
be  benoted  a  little.'  This  was  all  that  passed  on  that 
subject.  You  must,  therefore,  inform  Dr.  Home,  that 
he  may  resume  his  plan.  1  enclose  a  note  concerning 
it;  and  if  Dr.  Home  will  write  to  me,  all  the  atten- 
tion that  1  can  give  shall  be  cheerfully  bestowed,  upon 
what  1  think  a  pious  work,  the  preservation  and  eluci- 
dation of  Walton,  by  whose  writings  I  have  been  most 
pleasingly  edified. 


120  THE    LIFE    OF 

1774. 

"  MR.    BOSWELL    TO    DR.    JOHNSON. 

"  Edinburgh,  Sept.  16,  1774. 
"  Wales  has  probably  detained  you  longer 
than  I  supposed.  You  will  have  become  quite  a 
mountaineer,  by  visiting  Scotland  one  year  and  Wales 
another.  You  must  next  go  to  Switzerland.  Cambria 
will  complain,  if  you  do  not  honour  her  also  with  some 
remarks.  And  I  find  concessere  colunmte,  the  book- 
sellers expect  another  book.  I  am  impatient  to  see 
your  '  Tour  to  Scotland  and  the  Hebrides.'  Might  you 
not  send  me  a  copy  by  the  post  as  soon  as  it  is  printed 
off?" 

5^         ^  ^^         ^         ^         tIf 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  Y^ESTERDAY  I  returned  from  my  Welsh  journey, 
I  was  sorry  to  leave  my  book  suspended  so  long ;  but 
having  an  opportunity  of  seeing,  with  so  much  conve- 
nience, a  new  part  of  the  island,  I  could  not  reject  it. 
I  have  been  in  five  of  the  six  counties  of  North  Wales  ; 
and  have  seen  St.  Asaph  and  Bangor,  the  two  seats  of 
their  Bishops;  have  been  upon  Fenmanmaur  and 
Snowden,  and  passed  over  into  Anglesea.  But  V\^ales 
is  so  little  different  from  England,  that  it  offers  nothing 
to  the  speculation  of  the  traveller. 

"  When  1  came  home,  I  found  several  of  your  pa- 
pers, with  some  pages  of  Lord  Hailes's  Annals,  which 
I  will  consider.  1  am  in  haste  to  give  you  some  ac- 
count of  myself,  lest  you  should  suspect  me  of  negli*- 
gence  in  the  pressing  business  which  I  find  recom- 
mended to  my  care,  and  which  I  knew  nothing  of  till 
now,  when  all  care  is  vain.' 

"  In  the  distribution  of  my  books  I  purpose  to  fol- 
low your  advice,  adding  such  as  shall  occur  to  me.  I 
am  not  pleased  with  your  notes  of  remembrance  added 
to  your  names,  for  I  hope  I  shall  not  easily  forget  them. 

'  I  had  written  to  him,  to  request  his  interposition  in  behalf  of  a  convict,  who  I 
thought  was  very  unjustly  condemned. 


1)H.    JOHNSON.  IS  I 

"'  I  have  received  four  Erse  books,  without  any  direc-  1774. 
tion,  and  suspect  that  they  are  intended  for  the  Oxford  ^^ 
library.      If  that  is  the  intention,  I  think  it  will  be  prop-   fi.^. 
er  to  add   the  metrical  psalms,  and   whatever  else   is 
printed   in   Erse,  that  the   present  may   be  complete. 
The  donor's  name  should  be  told. 

"  1  wish  you  could  have  read  the  book  before  it  was 
printed,  but  our  distance  does  not  easily  permit  it. 

"  1  am  sorry  Lord  llailes  does  not  intend  to  publish 
Walton  ;  1  am  afraid  it  will  not  be  done  so  well,  if  it 
be  done  at  all. 

"  I  purpose  now  to  drive  the  book  forward.  Make 
my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Hoswell,  and  let  me  hear 
often  from  you.     1  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  affectionate  humble  servant, 
"'  London^  Oct.  1,  1774.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

This  tour  to  Wales,  which  was  made  in  company 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale,  though  it  no  doubt  contrib- 
uted to  his  health  and  amusement,  did  not  give  an  oc- 
casion to  such  a  discursive  exercise  of  his  mind  as  our 
tour  to  the  Hebrides.  I  do  not  find  that  he  kept  any 
journal  or  notes  of  what  he  saw  there.  All  that  1  heard 
him  say  of  it  was,  that,  "  instead  of  bleak  and  barren 
mountains,  there  were  green  and  fertile  ones ;  and  that 
one  of  the  castles  in  Wales  would  contain  all  the  castles 
that  he  had  seen  in  Scotland." 

"  Parliament  having  been  dissolved,  and  his  friend 
Mr.  Thrale,  who  was  a  steady  supporter  of  government, 
having  again  to  encounter  the  storm  of  a  contested  elec- 
tion, he  wrote  a  short  political  pamphlet,  entitled  "  The 
Patriot,"*  addressed  to  the  electors  of  Great-Britain  ;  a 
title  which,  to  factious  men,  who  consider  a  patriot  on- 
ly as  an  opposer  of  the  measures  of  government,  will 
appear  strangely  misapplied.  It  was,  however  written 
with  energetick  vivacity  ;  and,  except  those  passages 
in  which  it  endeavours  to  vindicate  the  glaring  outrage 
of  the  House  of  Commons  in  the  case  of  the  Middle- 
sex election,  and  to  justify  the  attempt  to  reduce  our 
fellow-subjects  in  America  to  unconditional  submission, 
it  contained  an  admirable  display  of  the  properties  of  a 

VOL.  II.  16 


12f  THE    LIFE    OP 

1774.  real  patriot,  in  the  original  and  genuine  sense  ; — a  sm^ 
^taT  ^^''65  steady,  rational,  and  unbiassed  friend  to  the  inter- 
60.  ests  and  prosperity  of  iiis  King  and  country.  It  must 
be  acknowledged,  however,  that  both  in  this  and  his 
two  former  pamphlets,  there  was,  amidst  many  power- 
ful arguments,  not  only  a  considerable  portion  of  soph- 
istry, but  a  contemptuous  ridicule  of  his  opponentSj 
which  was  very  provoking. 

"  TO  MR.  PEEKIKS.^ 
"  SIR, 

"  You  may  do  me  a  very  great  favour.  Mrs. 
Williams,  a  gentlewoman  whom  you  may  have  seen  at 
Mr.  Thrale's,  is  a  petitioner  for  Mr.  Hetherington's  char- 
ity :  petitions  are  this  day  issued  at  Christ's   Hospital. 

"  1  am  a  bad  manager  of  business  in  a  crowd  ;  and  if 
I  should  send  a  mean  man,  he  may  be  put  avv^ay  with- 
out his  errand.  1  must  therefore  entreat  that  you  will 
go,  and  ask  for  a  petition  for  Anna  Williams,  whose  pa- 
per of  enquiries  was  delivered  with  answers  at  the 
counting-house  of  the  hospital  on  Thursday  the  20th. 
My  servant  will  attend  you  thither,  and  bring  the  peti- 
tion home  when  you  have  it. 

"  The  petition,  which  they  are  to  give  us,  is  a  form 
which  they  deliver  to  every  petitioner,  and  which  the 
petitioner  is  aftervi^ards  to  fiUup,  and  return  to  them 
again.  This  we  must  have,  or  we  cannot  proceed  acr 
cording  to  their  directions.  You  need,  I  believe,  only 
ask  for  a  petition  ;  if  they  enquire  for  whom  you  ask, 
you  can  tell  them. 

"  I  beg  pardon  for  giving  you  this  trouble  ;  but  it  is 
a  matter  of  great  importance.     I  am.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  October  25,  1774.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

^  Mr.  Perkins  was  for  a  number  of  years  the  worthy  superintpndant  of  Mr. 
Thrale's  great  brewery,  and  after  his  death  became  one  of  the  proprietors  of  it  ; 
and  now  resides  in  Air.  Thrale's  house  in  Southwark,  which  was  the  scene  of  so 
many  literary  meetings,  and  in  which  he  continues  the  liberal  hospitality  for  which 
it  was  eminent.  Dr.  Johnson  esteemed  him  much.  He  hung  up  in  the  counting- 
house  a  fine  proof  of  the  admirable  mezzotinto  of  Dr.  Johnson,  by  Doughty  ;  and 
when  Mrs.  Thrale  asked  him  somewhat  flippantly,  "  Why  do  you  put  him  up  in 
the  counting-house  ?"  He  answered,  "  Because,  Madam,  1  wish  to  have  one  wise 
man  there."  "  Sir,  (said  Johnson,)  I  tliank  you.  It  is  a  very  handsome  compliment, 
and  I  believe  you  speak  sincerely." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  12^ 

"  TO  JAMES  BOS  WELL,  ESQ.        *  ^JJ^ 

*'   DEAR   SIR,  ^j5 

"  There  has  appeared  lately  in  the  papers  an  zlc- 
count  of  a  boat  overset  between  Mull  and  Ulva,  in 
which  many  passengers  were  lost,  and  among  them 
Maclean  of  Col.  We,  you  know,  were  once  drown- 
ed ;»  I  hope,  therefore,  that  the  story  is  either  wantonly 
or  erroneously  told.     Pray  satisfy  me  by  the  next  post. 

"  1  have  printed  two  hundred  and  forty  pages.  1  am 
able  to  do  nothing  much  worth  doing  to  dear  Lord 
Hailes's  book.  I  will,  however,  send  back  the  sheets  ; 
and  hope,  by  degrees,  to  answer  all  your  reasonable 
expectations. 

*'  Mr.  Thrale  has  happily  surmounted  a  very  violent 
and  acrimonious  opposition  ;  but  all  joys  have  their 
abatement  :  Mrs.  Thrale  has  fallen  from  her  horse,  and 
hurt  herself  very  much.  The  rest  of  our  friends,  1  be- 
lieve, are  well.  My  compliments  to  Mrs.  Bos  well.  I 
am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate  servant, 

"  London,  Octob.  27,  177^.  "  Sam.  Johnson.^^ 

This  letter,  which  shews  his  tender  concern  for  an 
amiable  young  gentleman  to  whom  he  had  been  very 
much  obliged  in  the  Hebrides,  1  have  inserted  accord- 
ing to  its  date,  though  before  receiving  it  1  had  inform- 
ed him  of  the  melancholy  event  that  the  young  Laird 
Qf  Col  was  unfortunately  drowned. 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  Last  night  I  corrected  the  last  page  of  our 
'  Journey  to  the  Hebrides.'  The  printer  has  detained 
it  all  this  time,  for  1  had,  before  I  went  into  Hales, 
written  all  except  two  sheets.  '  The  Patriot'  was  call- 
ed for  by  my  political  friends  on  Friday,  was  written  on 
Saturday,  and  1  have  heard  little  of  it.     So  vague  are 

'  In  the  news-paper'. 


124  IHE    LIFE    OF 

1774.  conjectures  at  a  distance.'      As  soon  as  1  can,  I  will 
^^  take  care  that  copies  be  sent  to  you,  for  I  would  wish 
65.  *  that  they  might  be  given  before  they  are  bought  ;  but 
I  am  afraid  that  Mr.  Strahan  will  send  to  you  and  to  the 
booksellers  at  the  same  time.     Trade  is  as  diligent  as 
courtesy.      I  have  mentioned  all  that  you  recommend- 
ed.    Pray  make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Boswell  and 
the  younglings.     The  club  has,  I   think,  not  yet  met. 
"  Tell  me,  and  tell  me  honestly,  what  you  think  and 
what  others  say  of  our  travels.     Shall  we  touch  the 
continent  l"^  1  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  Nov.  26,  1774.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

In  his  manuscript  diary  of  this  year,  there  is  the  fol- 
lowing entry  : 

"  Nov.  27.  Advent  Sunday.  I  considered  that  this 
day,  being  the  beginning  of  the  ecclesiastical  year,  was 
a  proper  time  for  a  new  course  of  life.  1  began  to  read 
the  Greek  Testament  regularly  at  I60  verses  every 
Sunday.     This  day  1  began  the  Acts. 

"  In  this  week  I  read  Virgil's  Pastorals.  I  learned 
to  repeat  the  Pollio  and  Gallus.  1  read  carelessly  the 
first  Georgick." 

Such  evidences  of  his  unceasing  ardour,  both  for 
"  divine  and  human  lore,"  when  advanced  into  his  six- 
ty-fifth year,  and  notwithstanding  his  many  disturbances 
.  from  disease,  must  make  us  at  once  honour  his  spirit, 
and  lament  that  it  should  be  so  grievously  clogged  by- 
its  material  tegument.  It  is  remarkable,  that  he  was 
very  fond  of  the  precision  which  calculation  produces. 
Thus  we  find  in  one  of  his  manuscript  diaries,  "  12 
pages  in  4to  Gr.  Test,  and  30  pages  in  Beza's  folio,  com- 
prize the  whole  in  40  days." 

'  Alluding  to  a  passage  in  a  letter  of  mine,  where  speaking  of  his  "  Journey  t» 
the  Hebrides,"  I  say  "  But  has  not '  The  Patriot'  been  an  interruption,  by  the  time 
taken  to  write  it,  and  the  time  luxuriously  spent  in  listening  to  its  applauses  ?" 

^  We  had  projected  a  voyage  together  up  the  Baltick,  and  talked  of  visiting 
some  of  the  more  northern  regions. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  195 

1775. 
"   DR.  JOHNSON  TO  JOHN  HOOLE,  ESQ.  ^^^ 

"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  returned  your  play,'  which  you  will 
find  underscored  with  red,  where  there  was  a  Word 
which  1  did  not  like.  The  red  will  be  washed  off  with 
a  little  water. 

"  The  plot  is  so  well  framed,  the  intricacy  so  artful, 
and  the  disentanglement  so  easy,  the  suspense  so  af- 
fecting, and  the  passionate  parts  so  properly  interposed, 
that  I  have  no  doubt  of  its  success. 

"  1  am.  Sir, 
"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  December  19,  1774.  "  Samuel  Johnson." 

The  first  effort  of  his  pen  in  177o,  was,  "  Proposals 
for  publishing  the  Works  of  Mrs.  Charlotte  Lenox,"f 
in  three  volumes  quarto.  In  his  diary,  January  2,  I 
find  this  entry  :  "  Wrote  Charlotte's  Proposals."  But, 
indeed,  the  internal  evidence  would  have  been  quite 
sufficient.  Her  claim  to  the  favour  of  the  publick  was 
thus  enforced  : 

"  Most  of  the  pieces,  as  they  appeared  singly,  have 
been  read  with  approbation,  perhaps  above  their  merits, 
but  of  no  great  advantage  to  the  writer.  She  hopes, 
therefore,  that  she  shall  not  be  considered  as  too  indul- 
gent to  vajiity,  or  too  studious  of  interest,  if  from  that 
labour  which  has  hitherto  been  chiefly  gainful  to  oth- 
ers, she  endeavours  to  obtain  at  last  some  profit  to  her- 
self and  her  children.  She  cannot  decently  enforce 
her  claim  by  the  praise  of  her  own  performances  :  nor 
can  she  suppose,  that,  by  the  most  artful  and  laboured 
address,  any  additional  notice  could  be  procured  to  a 
publication,  of  which  Her  Majesty  has  condescended 
to  be  the  patroness." 

He  this  year  also  wrote  the  Preface  to  Baretti's 
"  Easy  Lessons  in  Italian  and  English ."t 

' «  deonice." 


126  THE    LIFE    OF 


1775. 

^tat, 
66. 


"to  JAMES   BOSWELL,    ESQ. 


"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  You  never  did  ask  for  a  book  by  the  post  till 
now,  and  I  did  not  think  on  it.  You  see  now  it  is 
done.     I  sent  one  to  the  King,  and  1  hear  he  hkes  it. 

"  I  shall  send  a  parcel  into  Scotland  for  presents,  and 
intend  to  give  to  many  of  my  friends.  In  your  cata- 
logue you  left  out  Lord  Auchinleck. 

"  Let  me  know,  as  fast  as  you  read  it,  how  you  like 
it  ;  and  let  me  know  if  any  mistake  is  committed,  or  any 
thing  important  left  out.  I  wish  you  could  have  seen 
the  sheets.  My  compliments  to  Mrs.  Boswell,  and  to 
Veronica,  and  to  all  my  friends.     1  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

^'-January  14,1775.  '^  Sam.  Johnson.  *' 

"  MR.  BOSWELL  TO  DR.  JOHNSON. 

"  Edinburgh^  Januarif  19,  177<5. 
"  Be  pleased  to  accept  of  my  best  thanks  for  your 
'  journey  to  the  Hebrides,'  which  came  to  me  by  last 
night's  post.  1  did  really  ask  the  favour  twice  ;  but 
you  have  been  even  with  me  by  granting  it  so  speedi- 
ly. Bis  dat  qui  cito  dat.  Though  ill  of  a  bad  cold, 
you  kept  me  up  the  greatest  part  of  the  last  night :  for 
1  did  not  stop  till  1  had  read  every  word  of  your  book. 
I  looked  back  to  our  first  talking  of  a  visit  to  the  He- 
brides, which  was  many  years  ago,  when  sitting  by  our- 
selves in  the  Mitre  tavern,  in  London,  I  think  about 
witching  time  o'  night :  and  then  exulted  in  contem- 
plating our  scheme  fulfilled,  and  2t.monumentum perenne 
of  it  erected  by  your  superiour  abilities.  I  shall  only 
say,  that  your  book  has  afforded  me  a  high  gratification. 
I  shall  afterwards  give  you  my  thoughts  on  particular 
passages,  in  the  mean  time,  I  hasten  to  tell  you  of 
your  having  mistaken  two  names,  which  you  will  cor- 
rect in  London,  as  1  shall  do  here,  that  the  gentlemen 
who  deserve  the  valuable  compliments  which  you  have 
paid  them,  may  enjoy  their  honours.     In  page  106,  for 


DR.    JOHNSON.  127 

Gordon  read  Murchiwn  ;  and  in  page  .357,  foi  Maclean  1775. 

read  Macleod.  aTiCT 

******  ,,,.''^' 

00. 

"  But  I  am  now  to  apply  to  you  for  immediate  aid  in 
my  profession,  which  you  have  never  refused  to  grant 
when  1  requested  it.  I  enclose  you  a  petition  for  Dr. 
Memis,  a  physician  at  Aberdeen,  in  which  Sir  John 
Dalrymple  has  exerted  his  talents,  and  which  1  am  to 
answer  as  Coimsel  for  the  managers  of  the  Royal  In- 
firmary in  that  city.  Mr.  Jopp,  the  Provost,  who  de- 
livered to  you  your  freedom,  is  one  of  niy  clients,  and, 
as  a  citizen  of  Aberdeen^  you  will  support  him. 

"  The  fact  is  shortly  this.  In  a  translation  of  the 
charter  of  the  Infirmary  from  Latin  into  English,  made 
under  the  authority  of  the  managers,  the  same  phrase 
in  the  original  is  in  one  place  rendered  Phijsician^  but 
when  applied  to  Dr.  Memis  is  rendered  Doctor  of 
Medicine.  Dr.  Memis  complained  of  this  before  the 
translation  was  printed,  but  was  not  indulged  with 
having  it  altered  ;  and  he  has  brought  an  action  for 
damages,  on  account  of  a  supposed  injury,  as  if  the  de- 
signation given  to  him  was  an  inferior  one,  tending  to 
make  it  be  supposed  he  is  not  a  Fhtfsician^  and,  conse- 
quently to  hurt  his  practice.  My  father  has  dismissed 
the  action  as  groundless,  and  qow  he  has  appealed  to 
the  whole  Court."  ^ 

"    TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
'*    DEAR  SIR, 

"  1  LONG  to  hear  how  you  like  the  book  ;  it  is, 
I  think,  much  liked  here.  But  Macpherson  is  ver\^ 
furious  ;  can  you  give  me  any  more  intelligence  about 
him,  or  his  Fingal  \  Do  what  you  can,  and  do  it 
quickly.     Is  Lord  Hailes  on  our  side  \ 

"  Pray  let  me  know  what  I  owed  you  when  I  left 
you,  that  I  may  send  it  to  you. 

2  In  the  Court  of  Session  of  Scotland  an  action  is  first  tried  by  one  of  the  Judges, 
who  is  called  the  Lord  Ordinary  ;  and  if  either  party  is  dissatisfied,  he  may  ap- 
peal to  the  whole  Court,  consisting  of  fifteen,  the  Lord  President  and  fourteeu 
other  Judges,  who  have  both  in  and  out  of  Court  the  title  of  Lords,  from  the  name 
pi  their  estates :   as,  Lord  Auchinleck,  Lord  Monboddo,  &Cv 


iSS  IHE    LIFE    OF 

1775.       "  I  am  going  to  write  about  the  Americans.     If  you 

^^^  have  picked  up  any  hints  among  your  lawyers,  who  are 

66.  *  great  masters  of  the   law  of  nations,  or  if  your  own 

mind  suggest  any  thing,  let  me  know.     But  mum,  it 

is  a  secret. 

"  I  will  send  your  parcel  of  books  as  soon  as  I  can  ; 
but  I  cannot  do  as  I  wish.  However,  you  find  every 
thing  mentioned  in  the  book  which  you  recommended. 

"  Langton  is  here  ;  we  are  all  that  ever  we  were. 
He  is  a  worthy  fellow,  without  malice,  though  not  with- 
out resentment. 

"  Poor  Beauclerk  is  so  ill,  that  his  life  is  thought  to 
be  in  danger.  Lady  Di  nurses  him  with  very  great 
assiduity. 

"  Reynolds  has  taken  too  much  to  strong  liquor,  ^ 
and  seems  to  delight  in  his  new  character. 

"  This  is  all  the  news  that  I  have  ;  but  as  you  love 
verses,  I  will  send  you  a  few  which  I  made  upon  Inch- 
kenneth  ;*  but  remember  the  condition,  you  shall  not 
shew  them,  except  to  Lord  Hailes  whom  1  love  better 
than  any  man  whom  I  know  so  little.  If  he  asks  you 
to  transcribe  them  for  him,  you  may  do  it,  but  I  think 
he  must  promise  not  to  let  them  be  copied  again,  nor 
to  show  them  as  mine. 

"  I  have  at  last  sent  back  Lord  Hailes's  sheets.  I 
never  think  about  returning  them,  because  I  alter 
nothing.  You  will  see  that  I  might  as  well  have  kept 
them.  However,  I  am  ashamed  of  my  delay  ;  and  if 
I  have  the  honour  of  receiving  any  more,  promise 
punctually  to  return  them  by  the  next  post.  Make 
my  compliments  to  dear  Mrs.  Boswell,  and  to  Miss 
V^eronica. 

"  I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Yours  most  faithfully, 

"'•  Jan.  1,  177^.  "  Sam.  Johnson." ^ 

it  sliould  be  recollected,  that  this  fanciful  description  of  his  friend  was  given  by 
Johnson  after  he  himself  had  become  a  water-drinker. 

"  See  them  in  "  Journal  of  a  Tour  to  the  Hebrides,"  3d  edit.  p.  337. 

-  He  now  sent  me  a  Latin  inscription  for  my  historical  picture  Mary  Queen  of 
Scots,  and  afterwards  favoured  me  with  an  English  translation.  Mr.  Alderman 
Boydell,  that  eminent  Patron  of  the  Arts,  has  subjoined  them  to  the  engraving 
from  my  picture. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  199 

1775. 
"  MR.  BOSWELL  TO  DR.  JOHNSON.  v-^.-w/ 

^  ..    .  T       ,  .^  iEtat. 

"  Edinburgh,  Jan.  27,  1775.        gg. 

"  You  rate  our  lawyers  here  too  high,  when  you 
call  them  great  masters  of  the  law  of  nations. 

"  As  for  myself,  I  am  ashamed  to  say  I  have  read 
little  and  thought  little  on  the  subject  of  America.  I  • 
will  be  much  obliged  to  you,  if  you  will  direct  me 
where  1  shall  find  the  best  information  of  what  is  to  be 
said  on  both  sides.  It  is  a  subject  vast  in  its  present 
extent  and  future  consequences.  The  imperfect  hints 
which  now  float  in  my  mind,  tend  rather  to  the  forma- 
tion of  an  opinion  that  our  government  has  been  pre- 
cipitant and  severe  in  the  resolutions  taken  against  the 
Bostonians.  Well  do  you  know  that  1  have  no  kind- 
ness for  that  race.  But  nations,  or  bodies  of  men, 
should,  as  well  as  individuals,  have  a  fair  trial,  and  not 
be  condemned  on  character  alone.  Have  we  not  ex- 
press contracts  with  our  colonies,  which  afifbrd  a  more 
certain  foundation  of  judgement,  than  general  political 
speculations  on  the  mutual  rights  of  States  and  their 
provinces  or  colonies  \  Pray  let  me  know  immediately 
what  to  read,  and  1  shall  diligently  endeavour  to  gather 
for  you  any  thing  that  I  can  find.  Is  Burke's  speech 
on  American  taxation  published  by  himself  ?  Is  it  au- 
thentick  ?  1  remember  to  have  heard  you  say,  that  you 
had  never  considered  East-Indian  affairs  :  though,  sure- 

"  Maria  Scotorum  Regina, 

"  Hominum  seditiosorum 

"  Contumeliis  lassata, 

"  Minii  territa,  clamoribus  "vida, 

"  Libello,  per  quern 

"  Regno  cedit, 

"  Lacrimant  trepidansqiii 

"  Nomen  apponit. 

"  Mary  Queen  of  Scots, 

Harassed,  terrified,  and  overpowered 

By  the  insults,  menaces, 

And  clamours 
Of  her  rebeUious  subjects, 

Sets  her  hand. 
With  tears  and  confusion. 
To  a  resignation  of  the  kingdom."' 
VOT.    IT.  17 


13  0  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  ly,  they  are  of  much  importance  to  Great-Britain, 
^r^  Under  the  recollection  of  this,  1  shelter  myself  from 
gg.  the  reproach  of  ignorance  about  the  Americans.  If 
you  write  upon  the  subject,  I  shall  certainly  understand 
it.  But,  since  you  seem  to  expect  that  I  should  know 
something  of  it,  without  your  instruction,  and  that  my 
own  mind   should  suggest  something,  1  trust  you  will 

put  me  in  the  way. 

'**#*♦♦ 

"  What  does  Becket  mean  by  the  Originals  of  Fin- 
gal  and  other  poems  of  Ossian,  which  he  advertises  to 

have  lain  in  his  shop  ? 

****** 


"  TO  JAMES    BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"    DEAR  SIR, 

"  You  sent  me  a  case  to  consider,  in  which  I  have 
no  facts  but  what  are  against  us,  nor  any  principles  on 
which  to  reason.  It  is  vain  to  try  to  write  thus  with- 
out materials.  The  fact  seems  to  be  against  you  ;  at 
least  I  cannot  know  nor  say  any  thing  to  the  contrary. 
I  am  glad  that  you  like  the  book  so  well.  I  hear  no 
more  of  Macpherson.  1  shall  long  to  know  what  Lord 
Hailes  says  of  it.  Lend  it  him  privately.  1  shall  send 
the  parcel  as  soon  as  I  can.  Make  my  compliments  t» 
Mrs.  Boswell.     I  am,  Sir,  &c. 

"  Jan,  ^8,  1775.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"    MR.    BOSWELL   TO    DR.   JOHNSON. 

"  Edinburgh,  Feb.  2,  1775. 

****** 

"  As  to  Macpherson,  I  am  anxious  to  have  from 
yourself  a  full  and  pointed  account  of  what  has  passed 
between  you  and  him.  It  is  confidently  told  here, 
that  before  your  book  came  out  he  sent  to  you,  to  let 
you  know  that  he  understood  you  mfeant  to  deny  the 
authenticity  of  Ossian's  poems  ;  that  the  originals  were 
in  his  possession  ;  that  you  might  have  inspection  of 
them,  and  might   take  the  evidence  of  people  skill- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  131 

ed  in  the  Erse  language  ;  and  that  he  hoped,  after  this  i775. 
fair  otfer,  you  would  not  be  so  uncandid  as  to  assert  ^^"^ 
that  he  had  refused  reasonable  proof.     That  you  paid   og. 
no  regard  to  his  message,  but  published  your  strong  at- 
tack upon  him  ;  and  then  he  wrote  a  letter  to  you,  in 
such   terms  as  he  thought  suited  to  one  who  had  not 
acted  as  a  man  of  veracity.     You  may  believe  it  gives 
me  pain  to  hear  your  conduct  represented  as  unfavour- 
able, while  1  can  only  deny  what  is  said,  on  the  ground 
that  your  character  refutes  it,  without  having  any  in- 
formation to  oppose.     Let  me,  1  beg  it  of  you,  be  fur- 
nished with  a  sufficient  answer  to  any  calumny  upon 
this  occasion. 

"  Lord  Hailes  writes  to  me,  (for  we  correspond  more 
than  we  talk  together,)  '  As  to  Fingal,  1  see  a  contro- 
versy arising,  and  purpose  to  keep  out  of  its  wa3^ 
There  is  no  doubt  that  1  might  mention  some  circum- 
stances ;  but  1  do  not  chuse  to  commit  them  to  paper.'* 
What  his  opinion,  is,  1  do  not  know.  He  says,  '  1  am 
singularly  obliged  to  Dr.  Johnson  for  his  accurate  and 
useful  criticisms.  Had  he  given  some  strictures  on  the 
general  plan  of  the  work,  it  would  have  added  much  to 
his  favours.'  He  is  charmed  with  your  verses  on  Inch- 
ken  neth,  says  they  are  very  elegant,  but  bids  me  tell 
you  he  doubts  whether 

'  Legit imas  fuciunt  pectora  pura  preces^ 
be  according  to  the  rubrick  :  but  that  is  your  concern  ; 
for,  you  know,  he  is  a  Presbyterian." 


"    TO  DR.  LAWRENCE.* 

"  SIR,  Feb.  7,  1775. 

"  One  of  the  Scotch  physicians  is  now  prosecuting 
a  corporation  that  in  some  publick  instrument  have 
stiled  him   Doctor  of  Medicine  instead  of  Flujsiciun. 

'  [His  Lordship,  notwithstanding  his  resolution,  did  commit  his  sentiments  to  pa- 
per, and  in  one  of  his  notes  affixed  to  his  Collection  of  Old  Scottish  Poetry,  he 
says,  that  "  to  doubt  the  authenticity  of  those  poems  is  a  refinement  in  Scepticism 
indeed."     I.  B.] 

^  The  learned  and  worthy  Dr.  Lawrence,  whom  Dr.  Johaton  respected  and 
loved  as  his  physiciaa  and  friend. 


132  THE    LIFE   OF 

1775.  Boswell  desires,  being  advocate  for  the  corporation,  to 
^^  know  whether  Doctor  of  Medicine  is  not  a  legitimate 
66.    title,  and  whether  it  may  be  considered  as  a  disad- 
vantageous distinction.     1  am   to  write  to-night  ;  be 
pleased  to  tell  me.     1  am,  Sir,  your  most,  &c. 

"  Sam.  Johnson.'' 

"  james  boswell,  esq. 

"  my  dear  boswell, 

"  I  AM  surprised  that,  knowing  as  you  do  the 
disposition  of  your  countrymen  to  tell  lies  in  favour  of 
each  other,  ^  you  can  be  at  all  affected  by  any  reports 
that  circulate  among  them.  Macpherson  never  in  his 
life  offered  me  a  sight  of  any  original  or  of  any  evidence 
of  any  kind  ;  but  thought  only  of  intimidating  me  by 
noise  and  threats,  till  my  last  answer, — -that  I  would 
not  be  deterred  from  detecting  what  I  thought  a  cheat, 
by  the  menaces  of  a  ruffian — put  an  end  to  our  corres- 
pondence. 

"  The  state  of  the  question  is  this.  He,  and  Dr. 
Blair,  whom  1  consider  as  deceived,  say,  that  he  copied 
the  poem  from  old  manuscripts  ?  His  copies,  if  he  had 
them,  and  I  believe  him  to  have  none,  are  nothing. 
Where  are  the  manuscripts  ?  They  can  be  shown  if 
they  exist,  but  they  were  never  shown.  De  non  exist- 
entibus  et  non  apparentibus^  says  our  law,  eadem  est  ratio. 
No  man  has  a  claim  to  credit  upon  his  own  word,  when 
better  evidence,  if  he  had  it,  may  be  easily  produced. 
But,  so  far  as  we  can  find,  the  Erse  language  was  never 
written  till  very  lately  for  the  purposes  of  religion.  A 
nation  that  cannot  write,  or  a  language  that  was  never 
written,  has  no  manuscripts. 

"  But  whatever  he  has  he  never  offered  to  show.  If 
old  manuscripts  should  now  be  mentioned,  I  should, 
unless  there  were  more  evidence  than  can  be  easily 
had,  suppose  them  another  proof  of  Scotch  conspiracy 
in  national  falsehood. 

'  My  friend  has,  in  this  letter,  relied  upon  my  testimony,  with  a  confidence,  of 
which  the  ground  has  escaped  my  recollection, 


DR.   JOHNSON.  133 

"'  Do  not  censure  the  expression  ;  you  know  it  to  1775. 

be  true.  ^Etat! 

"  Ur.  Memis's  question  is  so  narrow  as  to  allow  no    (m, 
speculation  ;  and  I  have  no  facts  before  me  but  those 
which  his  advocate  has  produced  against  you. 

'•  I  consulted  this  morning  the  President  of  the 
London  College  of  Physicians,  who  says,  that  with  us. 
Doctor  of  F/ii/sick  (we  do  not  say  Doctor  of  Medicine) 
is  the  highest  title  that  a  practiser  of  physick  can  have  ; 
that  Doctor  implies  not  only  F/ii/siciafi^  but  teacher  of 
physick  ;  that  every  Doctor  is  legally  a  F//(/siciun  ; 
but  no  man,  not  a  Doctor^  can  practise  physick  but  by 
licence  particularly  granted.  The  Doctorate  is  a  licence 
of  itself.  It  seems  to  us  a  very  slender  cause  of  prose- 
cution. 

#     #     *     «     #     ^ 

"  I  am  now  engaged,  but  in  a  little  time  I  hope  to 
do  all  you  would  have.     JNly  compliments  to  Madam' 
and  Veronica.     1  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Tehruary  7,  177'5.  "  Sam.  Johnson.^^ 

What  words  were  used  by  Mr.  Macpherson  in  his 
letter  to  the  venerable  Sage,  I  have  never  heard  ;  but 
t»hey  are  generally  said  to  have  been  of  a  nature  very 
different  from  the  language  of  literary  contest.  Dr. 
Johnson^s  answer  appeared  in  the  news-papers  of  the 
day,  and  has  since  been  frequently  re-published  ;  but 
not  with  perfect  accuracy.  1  give  it  as  dictated  to  me 
by  himself,  written  down  in  his  presence,  and  authen- 
ticated by  a  note  in  his  own  hand  writing,  "  Tliis^  I 
think,  is  a  true  copy"  * 

"    MR.  JAMES  MACPHERSON, 

"  I  RECEIVED  your  foolish  and  impudent  letter. 
A»y  violence  offered  me  1  shall  do  my  best  to  repel  ; 
and  what  I  cannot  do  for  myself,  the  law  shall  do  for 
me.  I  hope  1  shall  never  be  deterred  from  detecting 
what  I  think  a  cheat,  by  the  menaces  of  a  ruffian. 

'  I  have  deposited  it  in  tlie  Britibh  Museum. 


134  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  "  What  would  you  have  me  retract !  I  thought  your 
^■^  book  an  imposture  ;  1  think  it  an  imposture  still.  For 
66.  this  opinion  I  have  given  my  reasons  to  the  publick, 
which  1  here  dare  you  to  refute.  Your  rage  1  defy. 
Your  abilities,  since  your  Homer,  are  not  so  formida- 
ble ;  and  what  I  hear  of  your  morals  inclines  me  to  pay 
regard  not  to  what  you  shall  say,  but  to  what  you  shall 
prove.     You  may  print  this  if  you  will. 

"  Sam.  Johnson." 

Mr.  Macpherson  little  knew  the  character  of  Dr. 
Johnson,  if  he  supposed  that  he  could  be  easily  intim- 
idated ;  for  no  man  was  ever  more  remarkable  for  per- 
sonal courage.  He  had,  indeed,  an  awful  dread  of 
death,  or  rather,  "  of  something  after  death  ;"  and 
what  rational  man,  who  seriously  thinks  of  quitting  all 
that  he  has  ever  known,  and  going  into  a  new  and  un- 
known state  of  being,  can  be  without  that  dread?  But 
his  fear  was  from  reflection  ;  his  courage  natural.  His 
fear,  in  that  one  instance,  was  the  result  of  philosoph- 
ical and  religious  consideration.  He  feared  death,  but 
he  feared  nothing  else,  not  even  what  might  occasion 
death.  Many  instances  of  his  resolution  may  be  men- 
tioned. One  day,  at  Mr.  Beauclerk's  house  in  the 
country,  when  two  large  dogs  were  fighting,  he  went 
up  to  them,  and  beat  them  till  they  separated  ;  and  at 
another  time,  when  told  of  the  danger  there  was  that 
a  gun  might  burst  if  charged  with  many  balls,  he  put 
in  six  or  seven,  and  fired  it  off  against  a  wall.  Mr. 
Langton  told  me,  that  when  they  were  swimming  to- 
gether near  Oxford,  he  cautioned  Dr.  Johnson  against 
a  pool,  which  was  reckoned  particularly  dangerous ; 
upon  which  Johnson  directly  swam  into  it.  He  told 
me  himself  that  one  night  he  was  attacked  in  the  street 
by  four  men,  to  whom  he  would  not  yield,  but  kept 
them  all  at  bay,  till  the  watch  came  up,  and  carried 
both  him  and  them  to  the  round-house.  In  the  play- 
house at  Lichfield,  as  Mr.  Garrick  informed  me,  John- 
son having  for  a  moment  quitted  a  chair  which  was 
placed  for  him  between  the  side-scenes,  a  gentleman 
took  possession  of  it,  and  when  Johnson  on  his  return 


DR.    JOHNSON.  135 

civilly  demanded  his  scat,  rudely  refused  to  give  it  up  ;  >775. 
upon  which  Johnson  laid  hold  of  it,  and  tossed  him  ^^ 
and  the  chair  into  the  pit.  Foote,  who  su  successfully  60. 
revived  the  old  comedy,  by  exiiibiting  living  characiers, 
had  resolved  to  imitate  Johnson  on  the  stage,  expecting 
great  profits  from  his  ridicule  of  so  celebrated  a  man. 
Johnson  being  informed  of  his  intention,  and  being  at 
dinner  at  Mr.  Thomas  Davies's  the  bookseller,  from 
whom  I  had  the  story,  he  asked  Mr.  Davies  "  what 
was  the  common  price  of  an  oak  stick  ;"  and  being  an- 
swered six-pence,  "  Why  then.  Sir,  (said  he,)  give  me 
leave  to  send  your  servant  to  purchase  me  a  shilling 
one.  I'll  have  a  double  quantity  ;  for  I  am  told  Fooie 
means  to  fake  ?ne  off\  as  he  calls  it,  and  1  am  determin- 
ed the  fellow  shall  not  do  it  with  impunity."  Davies 
took  care  to  acquaint  Foote  of  this,  which  effectually 
checked  the  wantonness  of  the  mimick.  Mr.  JSlac- 
pherson's  menaces  made  Johnson  provide  himself  with 
the  same  implement  of  defence ;  and  had  he  been  at- 
tacked, I  have  no  doubt  that,  old  as  he  was,  he  would 
have  made  his  corporal  prowess  be  felt  as  much  as  his 
intellectual. 

His  "  Journey  to  the  Western  Islands  of  Scotland,"* 
is  a  most  valuable  performance.  It  abounds  in  exten- 
sive philosophical  views  of  society,  and  in  ingenious 
sentiment  and  lively  description.  A  considerable  part 
of  it,  indeed,  consists  of  speculations,  which  many- 
years  before  he  saw  the  wdd  regions  which  we  visited 
together,  probably  had  employed  his  attention,  though 
the  actual  sight  of  those  scenes  undoubtedly  quickened 
and  augmented  them.  Mr.  Orme,  the  very  able  his- 
torian, agreed  with  me  in  this  opinion,  which  he  thus 
strongly  expressed  : — "  There  are  in  that  book  thoughts, 
which,  by  long  revolution  in  the  great  mind  of  John- 
son, have  been  formed  and  polished  like  pebbles  rolled 
in  the  ocean  !" 

That  he  was  to  some  degree  of  excess  a  true-born 
EngHahmau^  so  as  to  have  entertained  an  undue  preju- 
dice against  both  the  country  and  the  people  of  Scot- 
land, must  be  allowed.  But  it  was  a  prejudice  of  the 
head,  and  not  of  the  heart.     He  had  no  ill  will  to  the 


136  XHE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  Scotch ;  for,  if  he  had  been  conscious  of  that,  he  ne- 
^rr  ver  would  have  thrown  himself  into  the  bosom  of  theit 
66.  '  country,  and  trusted  to  the  protection  of  its  remote  in- 
habitants with  a  fearless  confidence.     His  remark  upon 
the  nakedness  of  the  country,  fi-om  its  being  denuded 
of  trees,  was  made  after  having  travelled  two  hundred 
miles  along  the  Eastern  coast,  where  certainly  trees  are 
not  to  be  found  near  the  road ;  and  he  said  it  was  "  a 
map  of  the  road"  which  he  gave.     His  disbelief  of  the 
authenticity  of  the  poems  ascribed  to  Ossian,  a  High- 
land bard,  was  confirmed  in  the  course  of  his  journey, 
by  a  very  strict  examination  of  the  evidence  offered  for 
it ;  and  although  their  authenticity  was  made  too  much 
a  national  point  by  the  Scotch,  there  were  many  re- 
spectable persons  in  that  country,  who  did  not  concur 
in  this  ;  so  that  his  judgement  upon  the  question  ought 
not  to  be  decried,  even  by  those  who  differ  from  him. 
As  to  myself,  1  can  only  say,  upon  a  subject  now  be- 
come very  uninteresting,  that  when  the  fragments  of 
Highland  poetry  first  came  out,    1  was  much  pleased 
with  their  wild  peculiarity,  and  was  one  of  those  who 
subscribed  to  enable  their  editor,  Mr.  Macpherson,  then 
a  young  man,  to  make  a  search  in  the  Highlands  and 
Hebrides  for  a  long  poem  in  the  Erse  language,  which 
was  reported  to  be  preserved  somewhere  in  those  re- 
gions.    But  when  there  came  forth  an  Epick  Poem  in 
six  books,  with  all  the  common  circumstances  of  former 
compositions  of  that  nature ;  and   when,  upon  an  at- 
tentive examination  of  it,  there  was  found  a  perpetual 
recurrence  of  the  same  images  which  appear  in  the 
fragments ;  and  when   no  ancient   manuscript,  to  au- 
thenticate the  work,  was  deposited  in  any  publick  li- 
brary, though  that  was  insisted  on  as  a  reasonable  proof, 
:i)ho  could  forbear  to  doubt  ? 

Johnson's  grateful  acknowledgements  of  kindness 
received  in  the  course  of  this  tour,  completely  refute 
the  brutal  reflections  which  have  been  thrown  out 
against  him,  as  if  he  had  made  an  ungrateful  return; 
and  his  delicacy  in  sparing  in  his  book  those  who  we 
find  from  his  letters  to  iNIrs.  Thrale,  were  just  objects 
of  censure,  is  much  to  be  admired.     His  candour  and 


DR.    JOHNSON.  13T 

amiable  disposition  is  conspicuous  from  his  conduct,  1775. 
when    int'onni'd   by   Mr.   Macleod,  of  Kasay,   that   he  J^^ 
had  committed  a  mistake,  which  gave  that  gentleman   g6. 
some  uneasiness.     He  wrote  him  a  coinleous  and  kind 
letter,  and  inserted  in  the  news-papers  an  advertisement, 
correcting  the  mistake.  ^ 

The  observations  of  my  friend  Mr.  Dempster  in  a  let- 
ter written  to  me,  soon  after  he  had  read  Dr.  Johnson's 
book,  are  so  just  and  liberal,  that  they  cannot  be  too 
often  repeated : 

"  There  is  nothing  in  the  book,  from  beginning  to 
end,  that  a  Scotchman  need  to  take  amiss.  What  he 
says  of  the  country  is  true  ;  and  his  observations  on  the 
people  are  what  must  naturally  occur  to  a  sensible,  ob- 
serving, and  reflecting  inhabitant  of  a  convenient  me- 
tropolis, where  a  man  on  thirty  pounds  a  3'ear  may  be 
better  accommodated  with  all  the  little  wants  of  life, 
than  Col  or  Sir  Allan. 

"  I  am  charmed  with  his  researches  concerning  the 
Erse  language,  and  the  antiquity  of  their  manuscripts. 
I  am  quite  convinced  ;  and  1  shall  rank  Ossian  and  his 
Fingals  and  Oscars,  amongst  the  nursery  tales,  not  the 
true  history  of  our  country,  in  all  time  to  come. 

"  Upon  the  whole,  the  book  cannot  displease,  for  it 
has  no  pretensions.  The  authour  neither  says,  he  is  a 
geographer,  nor  an  antiquarian,  nor  very  learned  in  the 
history  of  Scotland,  nor  a  naturalist,  nor  a  fossilist. 
The  manners  of  the  people,  and  the  face  of  the  coun- 
try, are  all  he  attempts  to  describe,  or  seems  to  have 
thought  of.  Much  were  it  to  be  wished,  that  they  who 
have  travelled  into  more  remote,  and  of  course  more 
curious  regions,  had  all  possessed  his  good  sense.  Of 
the  state  of  learning,  his  observations  on  Glasgow  Uni- 
versity show  he  has  formed  a  very  sound  judgement. 
He  understands  our  climate  too  ;  and  he  has  accurately 
observed  the  changes,  however  slow  aiid  imperceptible 
to  us,  which  Scotland  has  undergone,  in  consequence 
of  the  blessings  of  liberty  and  internal  peace/' 

2  Sec  «  Journal  of  a  Tour  to  the  Hebrides,"  3d  edit.  p.  ."SSO. 
VOL.  u.  18 


138  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775,  ****** 

jg^'^  Mr.  Knox^  another  native  of  Scotland,  who  has 
66.  since  made  the  same  tour,  and  pubHshed  an  account  of 
it,  is  equally  liberal.  "  I  have  read  (says  he,)  his  book 
ajjain  and  ag^ain,  travelled  with  him  from  Berwick  to 
Glenelg,  through  countries  with  which  I  am  well  ac- 
quainted ;  sailed  with  him  from  Glenelg  to  Rasy,  Sky, 
Kum,  Col,  Mull,  and  Icolmkill,  but  have  not  been 
able  to  correct  him  in  any  matter  of  consequence.  I 
have  often  admired  the  accuracy,  the  precision,  and  the 
justness  of  what  he  advances,  respecting  both  the  coun- 
try and  the  people. 

''  The  Doctor  has  every  where  delivered  his  senti- 
ments with  freedom,  and  in  many  instances  with  a 
seeming  regard  for  the  benefit  of  the  inhabitants,  and 
the  ornament  of  the  country.  His  remarks  on  the 
want  of  trees  and  hedges  for  shade,  as  well  as  for  shel- 
ter to  the  cattle,  are  well  founded,  and  merit  the  thanks, 
not  the  illiberal  censure  of  the  natives.  He  also  felt 
for  the  distresses  of  the  Highlanders,  and  explodes  with 
great  propriety  the  bad  management  of  the  grounds, 
and  the  neglect  of  timber  in  the  Hebrides." 

Having  quoted  Johnson's  just  compliments  on  the 
Rasy  family,  he  says,  "  On  the  other  hand,  1  found 
this  family  equally  lavish  in  their  encomiums  upon  the 
Doctor's  conversation,  and  his  subsequent  civilities  to 
a  young  gentleman  of  that  country,  who,  upon  wait- 
ing upon  him  at  London,  was  well  received,  and  expe- 
rienced all  the  attention  and  regard  that  a  warm  friend 
could  bestow.  Mr.  Macleod  having  also  been  in  Lon- 
don, waited  upon  the  Doctor,  who  provided  a  magnifi- 
cent and  expensive  entertainment  in  honour  of  his  old 
Hebridean  acquaintance." 

And,  talking  of  the  military  road  by  Fort  Augustus, 
he  says,  "  By  this  road,  though  one  of  the  most  rug- 
ged in  Great  Britain,  the  celebrated  Dr.  Johnson  pass- 
ed from  Inverness  to  the  Hebride  Isles.  His  observa- 
tions on  the  country  and  people  are  extremely  correct, 
judicious,  and  instructive."^ 

'  Page  105, 


DR.    JOHNSON.  \Cj9 

Mr.  Tytler,  the  acute  and  able  viiitlicator  of  Mary  i??^. 
Queen   of  Scots,  in   one   of  his   letters  to  Mr.  Jaims  ^^ 
KIphinstone,    pubhshed    in    that  gentleman's   "  Forty    oo'. 
Years'  Correspondence,"  says,  "  1  read  Dr.  Johnson's 
Tour  witli  very  great  pleasure.     Some  few  errours  he 
has  fallen  into,  but  of  no  great  importance,  and  those 
arc  lost  in  the  numberless  beauties  of  his  work. 

"  If  1  had  leisure,  I  could  perhaps  point  out  the 
most  exceptionable  places ;  but  at  present  1  am  in  the 
country,  and  have  not  his  book  at  hand.  It  is  plain  he 
meant  to  speak  well  of  Scotland  ;  and  he  has  in  my 
apprehension  done  us  great  honour  in  the  most  capital 
article,  the  character  of  the  inhabitants." 

His  private  letters  to  Mrs.  Thrale,  written  during 
the  course  of  his  journey,  which  therefore  may  be  sup- 
posed to  convey  his  genuine  feelings  at  the  time, 
abound  in  such  benignant  sentiments  towards  the  peo- 
ple who  showed  him  civilities,  that  no  man  whose  tem- 
per is  not  very  harsh  and  sour,  can  retain  a  doubt  of 
the  goodness  of  his  heart. 

It  is  painful  to  recollect  with  what  rancour  he  was 
assailed  by  numbers  of  shallow  irritable  North  Britons, 
on  account  of  his  supposed  injurious  treatment  of  their 
country  and  countrymen,  in  his  "  Journey."  Had 
there  been  any  just  ground  for  such  a  charge,  would 
the  virtuous  and  candid  Dempster  have  given  his  opin- 
ion of  the  book,  in  the  terms  in  which  1  have  quoted  ? 
Would  the  patriotick  Knox*  have  spoken  of  it  as  he 
has  done  ?  Would  Mr.  Tytler,  surely 

" a  Scoij  if  ever  Scot  there  were,"' 

have  expressed  himself  thus?  x\nd  let  me  add,  that, 
citizen  of  the  world,  as  I  hold  myself  to  be,  I  have  that 
degree  of  predilection  for  my  natcde  solum^  nay,  I  have 
that  just  sense  of  the  merit  of  an  ancient  nation,  which 
has  been  ever  renowned  for  its  valour,  which  in  former  . 
times  maintained  its  independence  against  a  powerful 
neighbour,  and  in  modern  times  has  been  equally  dis- 


•*  I  observed  with  much  regret,  while  the  first  edition  of  this  work  was  passing 
through  the  press,  (August  1790,)  tliat  this  ingenious  gentleman  was  dead. 


14y  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  tinguished  for  its  ingenuity  and  industry  in  civilized  life, 
^^  that  i  should  have  felt  a  generous  indignation  at  any  in^- 
66.  justice  done  to  it.  Johnson  treated  Scotland  novvorse 
than  he  did  even  his  best  friends,  whose  characters  he 
used  to  give  as  they  appeared  to  him,  both  in  light  and 
shade.  Some  people,  who  had  not  exercised  their 
minds  sufficiently,  condemned  him  for  censuring  hi$ 
friends.  But  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  whose  philosophic- 
al penetration  and  justness  of  thinking  were  not  less 
known  to  those  who  lived  with  him,  than  his  genius  in 
his  art  is  admired  by  the  world,  explained  his  conduct 
thus ;  "  He  was  fond  of  discrimination,  which  he  could 
not  show  without  pointing  out  the  bad  as  well  as  the 
good  in  every  character  ;  and  as  his  friends  were  those 
whose  characters  he  knew  best,  they  afforded  him  the 
best  opportunity  for  showing  the  aciiteness  of  his  judge- 
ment." 

He  expressed  to  his  friend  Mr.  Windharri  of  Nor- 
folk, his  wonder  at  the  extreme  jealousy  of  the  Scotch^ 
and  their  resentment  at  having  their  country  described 
by  him  as  it  really  was  ;  when,  to  say  that  it  was  a 
country  as  good  as  England,  would  have  been  a  gros$ 
falsehood,  ^'  None  of  us,  (said  he,)  would  be  offiend- 
ed  if  a  foreigner  who  has  travelled  here  should  say,  that 
vines  and  olives  don't  grow  in  England.''  And  &g  to 
his  prejudice  against  the  Scotch,  which  I  always  ascrib- 
ed to  that  nationality  which  he  observed  in  them^  he 
said  to  the  same  gentleman,  "  When  1  find  a  Scotch- 
man, to  whom  an  Englishman  is  as  a  Scotchman,  that 
Scotchman  shall  he  as  an  Englishman  to  me."  His  in- 
timacy with  many  gentlemen  of  Scotland,  and  his  em- 
ploying so  many  natives  of  that  country  as  his  amanu- 
enses, prove  that  his  prejudice  was  not  virulent;  and 
I  have  deposited  in  the  British  Museum,  amongst  other 
pieces  of  his  writing,  the  following  note  in  answer  to 
one  from  me,  asking  if  he  would  meet  me  at  dinner  at 
the  Mitre,  though  a  friend  of  mine,  a  Scotchman,  was 
to  be  there :  "  Mr.  Johnson  does  not  see  why  Mr. 
Bos  well  should  suppose  a  Scotchman  less  acceptable 
than  any  other  man.     He  will  be  at  the  Mitre." 


DE.    JOHNSON.  14) 

My  much-valued  friend  Dr.  Barnard,  now  Bishop  of  1775. 
Killajoe,  having  once  expressed  to  him  an  apprehension,  ^^ 
that  if  he  should  visit  Ireland  he  might  treat  the  people    oG. 
of  that  country  more  unfavourably  than  he  had  done 
the  Scotch,  he  answered,  with  strong  pointed  double- 
edged  wit,  "  Sir,  you  have  no  reason   to  be  afraid  of 
me.     The  Irish   are  not  in  a  conspiracy  to  cheat  the 
world  by  false  representations  of  the   merits  of  their 
countrymen.     No,  Sir ;  the  Irish  are  a  fair  people  ;— »- 
they  never  speak  well  of  one  another." 

Johnson  told  me  of  an  instance  of  Scottish  nationr 
ality,  which  made  a  very  unfavourable  impression  upon 
his  mind.  A  Scotchman  of  some  consideration  in 
London,  solicited  him  to  recommend  by  the  weight  of 
his  learned  authority,  to  be  master  of  an  English  school, 
a  person  of  whom  he  who  recommended  him  confessed 
he  knew  no  more  but  that  he  was  his  countryman. 
Johnson  was  shocked  at  this  unconscientious  conduct. 

All  the  miserable  cavillings  against  his  "•  Journey," 
in  news-papers,  magazines,  and  other  fugitive  publi- 
cations, I  can  speak  from  certain  knowledge,  only  fur- 
nished him  with  sport.  At  last  there  came  out  a 
scurrilous  volume,  larger  than  Johnson's  own,  filled 
with  malignant  abuse,  under  a  name,  real  or  fictitious, 
of  some  low  man  in  an  obscure  corner  of  Scotland, 
though  supposed  to  be  the  work  of  another  Scotchman, 
who  has  found  means  to  make  himself  well  known  both 
in  Scotland  and  England.  The  effect  which  it  had 
upon  Johnson  was,  to  produce  this  pleasant  observa- 
tion to  Mr.  Seward,  to  whom  he  lent  the  book  :  "  This 
fellow  must  be  a  blockhead.  They  don't  know  how  to 
go  about  their  abuse.  Who  will  read  a  five  shilling 
book  agains*t  me  ?  No,  Sir,  if  they  had  wit,  they  should 
have  kept  pelting  me  with  pamphlets." 

"    MR,  BOSWELL  JO    DR.  JOHNSON. 

"  Edinburgh^  18,  I77J- 

"  You  would  have  been   very   well  pleased  if  you 

had  dined  with  me  to-day.     1  had  for  my  guests,  Mac- 

quharrie,  young  Maclean  of  Col,  the  successor  of  our 

friend,  9.  very  amiable  man,  though  not  marked  with 


14*3  THE    LIFE    OP 

1775.  such  active  qualities  as  his  brother  ;  Mr.  Maclean  of 
^j^  Torloisk  in  Mull,  a  gentleman  of  Sir  Allan's  family  ; 
66.  and  two  of  the  clan  Grant  ;  so  that  the  Highland  and 
Hebridean  genius  reigned.  We  had  a  great  deal  of 
conversation  about  you,  and  drank  your  health  in  a 
bumper.  The  toast  was  not  proposed  by  me,  which  is 
a  circumstance  to  be  remarked,  for  1  am  now  so  con- 
nected with  you,  that  any  thing  that  I  can  say  or  do  to 
your  honour  has  not  the  value  of  an  additional  compli- 
ment. It  is  only  giving  you  a  guinea  out  of  that 
treasure  of  admiration  which  already  belongs  to  you, 
and  which  is  no  hidden  treasure  ;  for  1  suppose  my 
admiration  of  you  is  co-existent  with  the  knowledge  of 
my  character. 

"  I  find  that  the  Highlanders  and  Hebrideans  in 
general  are  much  fonder  of  your  '  Journey,'  than  the 
low-country  or  /nt her  Scots.  One  of  the  Grants  said 
to-day,  that  he  was  sure  you  were  a  man  of  a  good 
heart,  and  a  candid  man,  and  seemed  to  hope  he  should 
be  able  to  convince  you  of  the  antiquity  of  a  good  pro- 
portion of  the  poems  of  Ossian.  After  all  that  has 
passed,  I  think  the  matter  is  capable  of  being  proved 
to  a  certain  degree.  I  am  told  that  Macpherson  got 
one  old  Erse  MS.  from  Clanranald,  for  the  restitution 
of  vi^hich  he  executed  a  formal  obligation  ;  and  it  is 
affirmed,  that  the  Gaelick  (call  it  Erse  or  call  it  Irish,) 
has  been  written  in  the  Highlands  and  Hebrides  for 
many  centuries.  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  such 
of  the  inhabitants  as  acquired  any  learning,  possessed 
the  art  of  writing  as  well  as  their  Irish  neighbours,  and 
Celtick  cousins  ;  and  the  question  is,  can  sufficient 
evidence  be  shewn  of  this  ? 

'^  Those  who  are  skilled  in  ancient  writings  can  de- 
termine the  age  of  MSS.  or  at  least  can  ascertain 
the  century  in  which  they  w^ere  written  ;  and  if  men 
of  veracity,  who  are  so  skilled,  shall  tell  us  that  MSS. 
in  the  possession  of  families  in  the  Highlands  and  isles, 
are  the  works  of  a  remote  age,  I  think  we  should  be 
convinced  by  their  testimony. 

"  There  is  now  come  to  this  city,  Ranald  Macdonald 
from  the  Isle  of  Egg,  who  has  several  MSS.  of  Erse 


DR.   JOHNSON.  14'i 

poetry,  which  he  wishes  to  pubHsh  by  subscription.     I  1775. 
have  engaged  to  take  three  copies  of  the   book,  the  ^J^ 
price  of  which  is  to  be  six  shillings,  as  1  would  sub-   (jg, 
scribe  for  all  the  Erse  that  can  be  printed  be  it  old  or 
new,  that  the  language  may  be  preserved.     This  man 
says,  that  some  of  his  manuscripts  are  ancient  ;  and,  to 
be  sure,  one  of  them  which  was  shewn  to  me  does  ap- 
pear to  have  the  duskyness  of  antiqiwty. 

W  ^  ^  ^  ^F  ^ 

"  The  enquiry  is  not  yet  quite  hopeless,  and  1 
should  think  that  the  exact  truth  may  be  discovered, 
if  proper  means  be  used.     1  am,  &c. 

"  James  Boswell.^' 

"  to  james  boswell,  esq. 

"    DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  AM  sorry  that  I  could  get  no  books  for  my 
friends  in  Scotland.  Mr.  Strahan  has  at  last  promised 
to  send  two  dozen  to  you.  If  they  come,  put  the 
name  of  my  friends  into  them  ;  you  may  cut  them 
out, 5  and  paste  them  with  a  little  starch  in  the  book. 

"  You  then  are  going  wild  about  Ossian.  Why  do 
you  think  any  part  can  be  proved  ?  The  dusky  manu- 
script of  Egg  is  probably  not  fifty  years  old  ;  if  it  be  an 
hundred,  it  proves  nothing.  The  tale  of  Clanranald  is 
no  proof.  Has  Clanranald  told  it  ?  Can  he  prove  it  ? 
There  are,  1  believe,  no  Erse  manuscripts.  None  of 
the  old  families  had  a  single  letter  in  Erse  that  we 
heard  of.  You  say  it  is  likely  that  they  could  write. 
The  learned,  if  any  learned  there  were,  could  ;  but 
knowing  by  that  learning,  some  written  language,  in 
that  language  they  wrote,  as  letters  had  never  been  ap- 
plied to  their  own.  If  there  are  manuscripts,  let  them 
be  shewn,  with  some  proof  that  they  are  not  forged  for 
the  occasion.  You  say  many  can  remember  parts  of 
Ossian.  1  believe  all  those  parts  are  versions  of  the 
English  ;  at  least  there  is  no  proof  of  their  antiquity. 

"  Macpherson  is  said  to  have  made  some  translations 
himself;  and  having  taught  a  boy  to  write  it,  ordered 

'•  From  a  list  in  his  hand-writbg. 


14^  THE    LIFE    Ot 

1775.  him  to  say  that  he  had  learned  it  of  his  gfandmother. 
^■^  The  boy,  when  he  grew  up,  told  the  story.  This  Mrs. 
m.  '  Wilhams  heard  at  Mr.  Strahan's  table.  Don't  be  cred- 
ulous ;  you  know  how  little  a  Highlander  can  be  trust- 
ed. Macpherson  is,  so  far  as  1  know,  very  quiet.  Is 
not  that  proof  enough  1  Every  thing  is  against  him. 
No  visible  manuscript  :  no  inscription  in  the  language  : 
no  correspondence  among  friends :  no  transaction  of 
business,  of  which  a  single  scrap  remains  in  the  ancient 
families.  Macpherson's  pretence  is,  that  the  character 
was  Saxon.  If  he  had  not  talked  unskilfully  of  manu- 
scripts^ he  might  have  fought  with  oral  tradition  much 
longer.  As  to  Mr.  Grant's  information,  I  suppose  he 
knows  much  less  of  the  matter  than  ourselves. 

"  In  the  mean  time,  the  bookseller  says  that  the 
sale^  is  sufficiently  quick.  They  printed  four  thousand. 
Correct  your  copy  wherever  it  is  wrong,  and  bring  it 
up.  Your  friends  will  all  be  glad  to  see  you.  I  think 
of  going  myself  into  the  country  about  May. 

"  1  am  sorrv  that  I  have  not  managed  to  send  thfe 
book  sooner.  I  have  left  four  for  you,  and  do  not  re-' 
strict  you  absolutely  to  follow  my  directions  in  the  dis- 
tribution.    You  must  use  your  own  discretion. 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Bos  well  :  I  sup- 
pose she  is  now  beginning  to  forgive  me.     1  am,  dear 
Sir,  your  humble  servant, 
"  ¥eb.  ^5,  1775.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

On  Tuesday,  March  91^  I  arrived  in  London  ;  and 
on  repairing  to  Dr.  Johnson's  before  dinner,  found  him 
in  his  study,  sitting  with  Mr.  Peter  Garrick,  the  elder 
brother  of  David,  strongly  resembling  him  in  counte* 
nance  and  voice,  but  of  more  sedate  and  placid  manners. 
Johnson  informed  me,  that  though  Mr.  Beauclerk  was 
in  great  pain,  it  was  hoped  he  was  not  in  danger,  and 
that  he  now  wished  to  consult  Dr.  Heberden,  to  try 
the  effect  of  a  "  ncic  understanding.'*^  Both  at  this  in- 
terview, and  in  the  evening  at  Mr.  Thrale's,  where  he 
and  Mr.  Peter  Garrick  and  1  met  again,  he  was  vehe- 

♦  Of  his  "  Journey  to  the  Wpstcm  If!and«  of  Scotlanrt." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  1  I J 

meiu  on  the  subject  of  the  Ossian  controversy  ;  oh-  '773. 
serving,  *'  VVe  do  not  know  that  there  are  any  ancient  ^,'^, 
Erse  maniisciipts  ;  and  we  have  no  other  reason  to  (lis-  (j(k 
beheve  that  tlRie  are  men  with  three  heads,  but  that 
we  do  not  know  that  there  are  any  such  men."  He 
also  was  outrageous,  upon  his  supposition  that  my 
countrvmen  "  loved  Scotland  better  than  truth,"  say- 
ing, "  All  of  them, — nay  not  all, — but  droves  of  them, 
would  come  up,  and  attest  any  thing  for  the  honour  of 
Scotland."  He  also  persevered  in  his  wild  allegation, 
that  he  questioned  if  there  was  a  tree  between  Edin- 
burgh and  the  English  border  older  than  himself.  I 
assured  him  he  was  mistaken,  and  suggested  that  the 
proper  punishment  would  be  that  he  should  receive  a 
stripe  at  every  tree  above  a  hundred  years  old,  that  was 
found  within  that  space.  He  laughed,  and  said,  "  1  be- 
lieve I  might  submit  to  it  for  a  baubee.''' 

The  doubts  which,  in  my  correspondence  with  him, 
I  had  ventured  to  state  as  to  the  justice  and  wisdom  of 
the  conduct  of  Great-Britain  towards  the  American 
colonies,  while  I  at  the  same  time  requested  that  he 
would  enable  me  to  inform  myself  upon  that  moment- 
ous subject,  he  had  altogether  disregarded  ;  and  had 
recently  published  a  pamphlet,  entitled,  "  Taxation  no 
Tyranny  ;  an  answer  to  the  Resolutions  and  Address  of 
the  American  Congress.*" 

He  had  long  before  indulged  most  unfavourable  sen- 
timents of  our  fellow-subjects  in    America,     For,  as 
early  as  1769,  1  was  told  by  Dr.  John  Campbell,  that 
he  had  said  of  them,  "  Sir,  they  are  a  race  of  convicts       , 
and  ought  to  be  thankful  for  any  thing  we  allow  them       ^ 
short  of  hanging." 

Of  this  performance  I  avoided  to  talk  with  him  ;  for 
I  had  now  formed  a  clear  and  settled  opinion,  that  the 
people  of  America  were  well  warranted  to  resist  a  claim 
that  their  fellow-subjects  in  the  mother-country  should 
have  the  entire  command  of  their  fortunes,  by  taxing 
them  without  their  own  consent ;  and  the  extreme  vi- 
olence which  it  breathed,  appeared  to  me  so  unsuitable 
to  the  mildness  of  a  christian  philosopher,  and  so  direct- 
ly opposite  to  the  principles  of  peace  which  he  had  so 

VOL.  II.  19 


146  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  beautifully  recommended  in  his  pamphlet  respectm^ 
^t^^  Falkland's  Islands,  that  1  was  sorry  to  see  him  appear  in 
06,  SO  unfavourable  a  light.  Besides,  I  could  not  perceive  in 
it  that  ability  of  argument,  or  that  felicity  of  expression, 
for  which  he  was,  upon  other  occasions,  so  eminent. 
Positive  assertion,  sarcastical  severity,  and  extravagant 
ridicule,  which  he  himself  reprobated  as  a  test  of  truth, 
were  united  in  this  rhapsody. 

That  this  pamphlet  was  written  at  the  desire  of  those 
who  were  then  in  power,  1  have  no  doubt ;  and,  indeed, 
he  owned  to  me,  that  it  had  been  revised  and  curtailed 
by  some  of  them.  He  told  me,  that  they  had  struck  out 
one  passage,  which  was  to  this  effect  :  "That  the  Colo- 
nists could  with  no  solidity  argue  from  their  not  having 
been  taxed  while  in  their  infancy,  that  they  should  not 
now  be  taxed.  We  do  not  put  a  calf  into  the  plow  ; 
we  wait  till  he  is  an  ox."  He  said,  "  They  struck  it 
out  either  critically  as  too  ludicrous,  or  politically  as 
too  exasperating.  1  care  not  which.  It  was  their  bu- 
siness. If  an  architect  says,  1  will  build  five  stories^ 
and  the  man  who  employs  him  says,  I  will  have  only 
three,  the  employer  is  to  decide."  "  Yes,  Sir,  (said  I,) 
in  ordinary  cases.  But  should  it  be  so  when  the  archi- 
tect gives  his  skill  and  labour  gratis  /" 

Unfavourable  as  I  am  constrained  to  say  my  opinion 
of  this  pamphlet  was,  yet,  since  it  was  congenial  with 
the  sentiments  of  numbers  at  that  time,  and  as  every 
thing  relating  to  the  writings  of  Dr.  Johnson  is  of  im- 
portance in  literary  history,  I  shall  therefore  insert  some 
passages  which  were  struck  out,  it  does  not  appear 
wh}^  either  by  himself  or  those  who  revised  it.  They 
appear  printed  in  a  few  proof  leaves  of  it  in  my  posses- 
sion, marked  with  corrections  in  his  own  hand-writing, 
I  shall  distinguish  them  by  Italicks. 

In  the  paragraph  where  he  says,  the  Americans  were 
incited  to  resistance  by  European  Intelligence  from 
"men  whom  they  thought  their  friends,  but  who  were 
friends  only  to  themselves,"  there  followed, — "  (ind 
made  hij  their  selfishness^  the  enemies  of  their  coitntrt/.'^ 
And  the  next  paragraph  ran  thus  :  "  On  the  original 
contrivers  of  mischief,  rather  than  on  those  whom  the^ 


DR.   JOHNSON.  147' 

have  deludecL  let  an  insulted   nation  pour  out  its  von-  '775. 

geance.  ^Ctat. 

The  paragraph  which  came  next  was  in  those  words  :  06. 
"  Vnhappif  is  that  conntn/  in  ic//ich  men  c(/n  hope  for  ad- 
vuNcemeiit  bif  J'avonring  its  enemies.  The  iraiKjuilUfij  of 
stable  government  is  not  ulicaifs  eosi/t/  preserved  against 
the  machinations  oj' single  innovators ;  but  zvhut  can  be 
the  hope  of  quiet ^  ic'henj'actions  hostile  to  the  legislature 
can  be  openltj  J'ormed  and  openhj  avowed  !" 

After  the  paragraph  which  now  concludes  the  pam- 
phlet, there  followed  this,  in  which  he  certainly  means 
the  great  Earl  of  Chatham,  and  glances  at  a  certain  pop- 
ular Lord  Chancellor. 

"  If  by  the  fortune  of  war,  theij  drive  us  utterhj 
away,  what  they  ivill  do  next  can  only  be  conjectured. 
If  a  new  monarchy  is  erected,  they  will  icant  a  King. 
He  whofrst  takes  into  his  hand  the  sceptre  of  America, 
should  have  a  name  of  good  omen.  William  has  been 
knoion  both  a  conquerour  and  deliverer ;  and  perhaps 
England,  however  contemned,  might  yet  suppltf  them  with 
A  N  OT  H  E  R  W I L  L I A  M .  Wh igs,  indeed,  at  e  not  ivilling  to 
be  governed ;  and  it  is  possible  that  King  William 
may  be  strongly  inclined  to  guide  their  measures  :  but 
Whigs  have  been  cheated  like  other  mortals,  and  sneer- 
ed their  leader  to  become  their  tyrant,  under  the  name 
of  their  Protector.  What  more  they  ivill  receive  from 
England,  no  man  can  tell.  In  their  rudiments  of  empire 
they  maij  want  a  Chancellor." 

Then  came  this  paragraph  : 

"  Their  numbers  are,  at  present  not  quite  sufficient  for 
the  greatness  which,  in  some  form  of  government  or  oth- 
er, is  to  rival  the  ancient  monarchies ;  but  bij  Dr.  Frank- 
lin''s  rule  of  progression,  they  will,  in  a  century  and  a  quar- 
ter, be  more  than  equal  to  the  inhabitants  of  Europe. 
When  the  Whigs  of  America  are  thus  multiplied,  let  the 
Princes  of  the  earth  tremble  in  their  palaces.  If  theif 
should  continue  to  double  and  to  double,  their  own  hemis- 
phere would  not  contain  them.  But  let  not  our  boldest  op- 
pugners  of  author  it  ij  look  forward  with  delight  to  thi^ 
futurity  of  Whig g ism. '^ 


148  THE    LIFE    OF 

'775.       How  it  ended  I  know  not,  as  it  is  cut  off  abruptly  at 

^^  the  foot  of  the  last  of  these  proof  pages. 

66.  His  pamphlets  in  support  of  the  measures  of  admin- 
istration were  published  on  his  own  account,  and  he 
afterwards  collected  them  into  a  volume,  with  the  title 
of"  Political  Tracts,  by  the  Authour  of  the  Rambler/^ 
with  this  motto  : 

"  Fallitur  egregio  quisguis  sub  Principe  credit 

"  Servitium  ;  nunquam  libertas  gratior  extat 

*'  Quam  sub  Rege pio"  Claudianus. 

These  pamphlets  drew  upon  him  numerous  attacks. 
Against  the  common  weapons  of  literary  warfare  he 
was  hardened ;  but  there  were  two  instances  of  ani- 
madversion which  1  communicated  to  him,  and  from 
what  I  could  judge,  both  from  his  silence  and  his  looks^ 
appeared  to  me  to  impress  him  much. 

One  was,  "  A  Letter  to  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  occa- 
sioned by  his  late  political  Publications."  It  appeared 
previous  to  his  "  Taxation  no  Tyranny,"  and  was  writ- 
ten by  Dr.  Joseph  Towers.  In  that  performance.  Dr. 
Johnson  was  treated  with  the  respect  due  to  so  emi- 
nent a  man,  while  his  conduct  as  a  political  writer  was 
boldly  and  pointedly  arraigned,  as  inconsistent  with  the 
character  of  one,  who,  if  he  did  employ  his  pen  upon 
politicks,  "  it  might  reasonably  be  expected  should  dis- 
tinguish himself,  not  by  party  violence  and  rancour, 
but  by  moderation  and  by  wisdom  " 

It  concluded  thus  :  "  1  would,  however,  wish  you  to 
remember,  should  you  again  address  the  publick  under 
the  character  of  a  political  writer,  that  luxuriance  of  im- 
agination or  energy  of  language,  will  ill  compensate  for 
the  want  of  candour,  of  justice,  and  of  truth.  And  I 
shall  only  add,  that  should  I  hereafter  be  disposed  to 
read,  as  I  heretofore  have  done,  the  most  excellent  of 
all  your  performances,  '  The  Rambler,'  the  pleasure 
which  1  have  been  accustomed  to  find  in  it,  will  be 
much  diminished  by  the  reflection  that  the  writer  of  so 
moral,  so  elegant,  and  so  valuable  a  work,  was  capable 
of  prostituting  his  talents  in  such  productions  as  'The 


DB.    JOHNSON.  IS*) 

False  Alarm,'  the  '  Thoughts  on  the  Transactions  re-  1775. 
specting  Falkland's  Islands/  and  '  The  Patriot."  ^^ 

1  am  willing  to  do  justice  to  the  merit  of  Dr.  Tow-    (jg. 
crs,  ot'whoui  1  will  say,  that  although  1  abhor  his  Whig- 
gish  deniocratical  notions  and  propensities,  (for  1  will 
not  call  them  principles,)  I  esteem  him  as  an  ingenious, 
knowing,  and  very  convivial  man. 

The  other  instance  was  a  paragraph  of  a  letter  to  me, 
from  my  old  and  most  intimate  friend  the  Heverend 
Mr.  Temple,  who  wrote  the  character  of  Giay,  which 
has  had  the  honour  to  be  adopted  both  by  Mr.  Mason 
and  Dr.  Johnson  in  their  accounts  of  that  poet.  The 
words  were,  ""  How  can  your  great,  1  will  not  say  your 
pious^  but  your  moral  friend,  support  the  barbarous 
measures  of  administration,  which  they  have  not  the 
face  to  ask  even  their  infidel  pensioner  Hume  to  de- 
fend." 

However  confident  of  the  rectitude  of  his  own  mind, 
Johnson  may  have  felt  sincere  uneasiness  that  his  con- 
duct should  be  erroneously  imputed  to  unworthy  mo- 
tives, by  good  men  ;  and  that  the  influence  of  his  val- 
uable writings  should  on  that  account  be  in  any  degree 
obstructed  or  lessened. 

He  complained  to  a  Right  Honourable  friend  of  dis- 
tinguished talents  and  very  elegant  manners,  with  whom 
he  maintained  a  long  intimacy,  and  whose  generosity 
towards  him  will  afterwards  appear,  that  his  pension 
having  been  given  to  him  as  a  literary  character,  he  had 
been  applied  to  by  administration  to  write  political 
pamphlets  ;  and  he  was  even  so  much  irritated,  that  he 
declared  his  resolution  to  resign  his  pension.  His  friend 
showed  him  the  impropriety  of  such  a  measure,  and  he 
afterwards  expressed  his  gratitude,  and  said  he  had  re- 
ceived good  advice.  To  that  friend  he  once  signified  a 
wish  to  have  his  pension  secured  to  him  for  his  life  ; 
but  he  neither  asked  nor  received  from  government  any 
reward  whatsoever  for  his  political  labours. 

On  Friday,  March  24,  1  met  him  at  the  Literary 
Club,  where  were  Mr.  Beauclerk,  Mr.  Langton,  Mr. 
Colman,  Dr.  Percy,  Mr.  Vesey,  Sir  Charles  Hunbury, 
Dr.  George  Fordyce,   Mr.  Steevens,  and   Mr.  Charles 


150  THE    LIFE    OP 

1775.  Fox.  Before  he  came  in,  we  talked  of  his  "  Journey 
^j'^to  the  Western  Islands,"  and  of  his  coming  awav, 
66.  '"  willing  to  believe  the  second  sight,"'  which  seemed 
to  excite  some  ridicule.  I  was  then  so  impressed  with 
the  truth  of  many  of  the  stories  of  which  1  had  been 
told,  that  1  avowed  my  conviction,  saying,  "  He  is 
only  willing  to  believe  :  I  do  believe.  The'evidence  is 
enough  for  me,  though  not  for  his  great  mind.  What 
will  not  fill  a  quart  bottle  will  fill  a  pint  bottle.  1  am 
filled  with  belief."  "  Are  you  ?  (said  Colman,)  then 
cork  it  up." 

"  1  found  his  "  Journey"  the  common  topick  of 
conversation  in  London  at  this  time,  wherever  1  hap- 
pened to  be.  At  one  of  Lord  Mansfield^s  formal  Sun- 
day evening  conversations,  strangely  called  Levees^  his 
Lordship  addressed  me,  "  We  have  all  been  reading 
your  travels,  Mr.  Boswell."  1  answered,  "  1  was  but 
the  humble  attendant  of  Dr.  Johnson."  The  Chief 
Justice  replied,  with  that  air  and  manner  which  none, 
who  ever  saw  and  heard  him,  can  forget,  "  He  speaks 
ill  of  nobody  but  Ossian." 

Johnson  was  in  high  spirits  this  evening  at  the  club, 
a^nd  talked  with  great  animation  and  success.  He  at- 
tacked Swift,  as  he  used  to  do  upon  all  occasions. 
"  The  '  Tale  of  a  Tub'  is  so  much  superiour  to  his 
other  writings,  that  one  can  hardly  believe  he  was  the 
authour  of  it  :^  "  there  is  in  it  such  a  vigour  of  mind, 
such  a  swarm  of  thoughts,  so  much  of  nature,  and  art, 

"  Johnson's  "  Journey  to  the  Western  Islands  of  Scotland,"  edit.  1785,  p.  256. 

«  This  doubt  has  been  much  agitated  on  both  sides,  I  think  without  good  reason. 
See  Addison's  "  Freeholder,"  May  4,  1714;  An  Apology  for  the  Tale  of  a  Tub  ;— . 
Dr.  Hawkesworth's  Preface  to  Swift's  Works,  and  Swift's  Letter  to  Tooke  the 
Printer,  and  Tooke's  Answer  in  that  collection  : — Sheridan's  Life  of  Swift  ; — Mr. 
Courtenay's  note  on  p.  3  of  his  "  Poetical  Review  of  the  Literary  and  Moral  Char- 
acter of  Dr.  Johnson  ;"  and  Mr.  Cooksey's  "  Essay  on  the  Life  and  Character  of 
John  Lord  Somers,  Baron  of  Evesham." 

Dr.  Johnson  here  speaks  only  to  the  internal  evidence.  I  take  leave  to  differ 
from  him,  having  a  very  high  estimation  of  the  powers  of  Dr.  Swift.  His  "  Senti- 
ments of  a  Church-of-Englandman ;"  his  "  Sermon  on  the  Trinity,"  and  other 
serious  pieces,  prove  his  learning  as  well  as  his  acuteness  in  logick  and  nietaphys- 
icks  ;"  and  his  various  compositions  of  a  different  cast  exhibit  not  only  wit,  hu<( 
raour,  and  ridicule  ;  but  a  knowledge  "  of  nature,  and  art,  and  life :"  a  combination 
therefore  of  those  powers,  when  (as  the  "  Apology"  says,) "  the  authour  was  youngj 
his  invention  at  the  heighth,  and  his  reading  fresh  in  his  head,"  might  sarely  prot 
duce  «  The  Tale  of  a  Tubr 


DR.   JOHNSON.  iJl 

and  life."     I  wondered  to  hear  him  Say  of  '  Gulliver's  1775. 
Travels/  "  When  once  you  have  thought  of  })\^  men  '^^'^ 
and  little  men,  it  is  very  easy   to  do   all  the  rest.'^     1   (jg.  ' 
endeavoured  to  make  a  stand  for  Swift,   and  tried  to 
rouse   those    who    were    much    more  able    to   defend 
him  ;  but  in  vain.     Johnson  at  last,  of  his  own  accord, 
allowed  very  great  merit   to  the  inventory  of  articles 
found   in  the  pocket  of  "  the  Man  Mountain,"  partic- 
ularly the  description  of  his  watch,   which  it  was  con- 
jectured was  his  God,  as   he  consulted   it   upon   all 
occasions.     He  observed,  that  "  Swift  put  his  name  to 
but  two  things,  (after  he   had  a  name  to  put,)  '  The 
Plan  for  the  Improvement  of  the  Enghsh  language,' 
and  the  last  '  Drapier's  Letter." 

From  Swift,  there  was  an  easy  transition  to  Mr. 
Thomas  Sheridan.-— Johnson.  "  Sheridan  is  a  wonder- 
ful admirer  of  the  tragedy  of  Douglas,  and  presented 
its  authour  with  a  gold  medal.  Some  years  ago,  at  a 
coffee-house  in  Oxford,  1  called  to  him,  '  Mr.  Sheri- 
dan, Mr.  Sheridan,  how  came  you  to  give  a  gold  medal 
to  Home,  for  writing  that  foolish  play  V  This,  you  see, 
was  wanton  and  insolent  ;  but  1  meant  to  be  wanton 
and  insolent.  A  medal  has  no  value  but  as  a  stamp  of 
merit.  And  was  Sheridan  to  assume  to  himself  the 
right  of  giving  that  stamp  \  If  Sheridan  was  magnifi- 
cent enough  to  bestow  a  gold  medal  as  an  honorary 
reward  of  dramatick  excellence,  he  should  have  re- 
quested one  of  the  Universities  to  choose  the  person 
on  whom  it  should  be  conferred.  Sheridan  had  no 
right  to  give  a  stamp  of  merit:  it  was  counterfeiting 
Apollo's  coin." 

On  Monday,  March  27,  I  breakfasted  with  him  at 
Mr.  Strahan's.  He  told  us,  that  he  was  engaged  to 
go  that  evening  to  Mrs.  Abington's  benefit.  "  She 
was  visiting  some  ladies  whom  1  was  visiting,  and  beg- 
ged that  1  would  come  to  her  benefit.  1  told  her  I 
could  not  hear  :  but  she  insisted  so  much  on  my  com- 
ing, that  it  would  have  been  brutal  to  have  refused  her.^ 
This  was  a  speech  quite  characteristical.  He  loved  to 
bring  forward  his  having  been  in  the  gay  circles  of  life  ; 
and  he  was,  perhaps,  a  little  vain  of  the  solicitations  of 


152  IHK    LIFE    OB" 

1775.  this  elegant  and  fashionable  actress.  He  told  us,  the 
play  was  to  be  "  The  Hypocrite,"  altered  from  Cibber's 
"  Nonjuror,"  so  as  to  satirize  the  Methodists.  *'  1  do 
not  think  (said  he,)  the  character  of  the  Hypocrite  just- 
ly applicable  to  the  Methodists,  but  it  was  very  apph- 
cable  to  the  Nonjurors.  1  once  said  to  Dr.  Madan,  a 
clergyman  of  Ireland,  who  was  a  great  Whig,  that  per- 
haps a  Nonjuror  would  have  been  less  criminal  in 
taking  the  oaths  imposed  by  the  ruhng  power,  than 
refusing  them  ;  because  refusing  them,  necessarily  laid 
him  under  almost  an  irresistible  temptation  to  be  more 
criminal  ;  for,  a  man  must  live,  and  if  he  precludes 
himself  from  the  support  furnished  by  the  establish- 
ment, will  probably  be  reduced  to  very  wicked  shifts  to 
maintain  himself."^  Boswell.  "  1  should  think,  Sir, 
that  a  man  who  took  the  oaths  contrary  to  his  princi- 
ples, was  a  determined  wicked  man,  because  he  was 
sure  he  was  committing  perjury,  whereas  a  Nonjuror 
might  be  insensibly  led  to  do  what  was  wrong,  without 
being  so  directly  conscious  of  it."  Johnson.  "  Why, 
Sir,  a  man  who  goes  to  bed  to  his  patron's  wife  is 
pretty  sure  that  he  is  committing  wickedness."  Bos- 
well. "  Did  the  nonjuring  clergymen  do  so,  Sir  ?" 
Johnson.  "  1  am  afraid  many  of  them  did." 

'  This  was  not  merely  a  cursory  remark ;  for  in  his  Life  of  Fenton  he  observes, 
"  With  many  other  wise  and  virtuous  men,  who  at  that  time  of  discord  and  de- 
bate [about  the  beginning  of  this  century,]  consulted  conscience  well  or  ill  inform- 
ed, more  than  interest,  he  doubted  the  legahty  of  the  government ;  and  refusing  to 
qualify  himself  for  publick  employment,  by  taking  the  oaths  required,  left  the 
University  without  a  degree."  Tliis  conduct  Johnson  calls  "  perverseness  of  integ- 
rity." 

The  question  concerning  the  morality  of  taking  oaths,  of  whatever  kind,  impos- 
ed by  the  prevailing  power  at  the  time,  rather  than  to  be  excluded  from  all  con- 
sequence, or  even  any  considerable  usefulness  in  society,  has  been  agitated  with  all 
the  acuteness  of  casuistry.  It  is  related,  that  he  who  devised  the  oath  of  abjura- 
tation,  profligately  boasted,  that  he  had  framed  a  test  which  should  "  damn  one 
half  of  the  nation,  and  starve  the  other."  Upon  minds  not  exalted  to  inflexible  rec- 
titude, or  minds  in  which  zeal  for  a  party  is  predominant  to  excess,  taking  that 
oath  aji-ainst  conviction,  may  have  been  palliated  under  the  plea  of  necessity,  or 
ventured  upon  in  heat,  as  upon  the  whole  producing  more  good  than  evil. 

At  a  county  election  in  Scotland,  many  years  ago,  when  there  was  a  warm  con- 
test between  the  friends  of  the  Hanoverian  succession,  and  those  against  it,  the 
oatli  of  abjuration  having  been  demanded,  the  freeholders  upon  one  side  rose  to  go 
away.  Upon  which  a  very  sanguine  geiuleman,  ,>ne  of  their  number,  ran  to  the 
door  to  stop  them,  calling  out  with  much  earnestness,  "  Stay,  stay,  my  friends,  and 
'.et  us  swear  the  rogues  out  of  it !" 


DR.    JOHNSON.  153 

!  was  startled  at  this  argument,  and  could  by  no  i775. 
means  think   it  convincing.     Had  not  his  own  father  J^^ 
complied  with   the  requisition   of  government,  (as   to  (,h. 
which   he   once  observed  to  me,  when  1  pressed  him 
upon  it,  "  That^  Sir,  he  was  to  settle  with  himself,") 
he  would  probably  have  thought  more  unfavourably  of 
a  Jacobite  who  took  the  oaths  : 

« had  he  not  resembled 

"  My  father  as  he  swore. 


Mr.  Strahan  talked  of  launching  into  the  great  ocean 
of  London,  in  order  to  have  a  chance  for  rising  into 
eminence  ;  and,  observing  that  many  men  were  kept 
back  from    trying  their  fortunes  there,  because  they 
were  born  to  a  competency,  said,   "  Small  certainties 
are  the  bane  of  men  of  talents  ;"  which  Johnson  con- 
firmed.    Mr.  Strahan  put  Johnson  in  mind  of  a  remark 
whicW  he  had  made  to  him  ;  "  There  are  few  ways  in  \ 
which  a  man  can  be  more  innocently  employed  than  in  | 
getting  money."     "  The  more  one  thinks  of  this,  (said/ 
Strahan,)  the  juster  it  will  appear." 

Mr.  Strahan  had  taken  a  poor  boy  from  the  country 
as  an  apprentice,  upon  Johnson's  recommendation. 
Johnson  having  enquired  after  him,  said,  "  Mr.  Stra- 
han, let  me  have  five  guineas  on  account,  and  Fil  give 
this  boy  one.  Nay,  if  a  man  recommends  a  boy,  and 
does  nothing  for  him,  it  is  sad  work.     Call  him  down." 

1  followed  him  into  the  court-yard,  behind  Mr.  Stra- 
ban's  house  ;  and  there  I  had  a  proof  of  what  1  had 
heard  him  profess,  that  he  talked  alike  to  all.  "  Some 
people  tell  you  that  they  let  themselves  down  to  the 
capacity  of  their  hearers.  1  never  do  that.  1  speak 
uniformly,  in  as  intelligible  a  manner  as  I  can." 

"  Well,  my  boy,  how  do  you  go  on  I" — "  Pretty 
well.  Sir  ;  but  they  are  afraid  1  an't  strong  enough  for 
some  parts  of  the  business."  Johnson.  "  Why,  1  shall 
be  sorry  for  it  ;  for  when  you  consider  with  how  little 
mental  power  and  corporeal  labour  a  printer  can  get  a 
guinea  a  week,  it  is  a  very  desirable  occupation  for  you. 
Do  you  hear, — tase  all  the  pains  you  can  ;  and  if  this 
does  not  do,  we  must  think  of  some  other  vvay  of  hfe 
for  you.     There's  a  guinea." 

VOL.  II.  ?0 


154  THE    LIFE    OP 

1775.       Here  was  one  of  the  many,  many  instances  of  his 

Suu  ^cti^'^  benevolence.     At  the  same  time,  the  slow  and 

fi6.    sonorous  solemnity  with  which,  while  he  bent  himself 

down,   he    addressed  a  little  thick  short-legged  boy, 

contrasted  with  the  boy's  aukwardness  and  awe,  could 

not  but  excite  some  ludicrous  emotions. 

1  met  him  at  Drury-lane  play-house  in  the  evening. 
Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  at  Mrs.  Abington's  request,  had 
promised  to  bring  a  body  of  wits  to  her  benefit  ;  and 
having  secured  forty  places  in  the  front  boxes,  had 
done  me  the  honour  to  put  me  in  the  group.  John- 
son sat  on  the  seat  directly  behind  me  ;  and  as  he 
could  neither  see  nor  hear  at  such  a  distance  from  the 
stage,  he  was  wrapped  up  in  grave  abstraction,  and 
seemed  quite  a  cloud,  amidst  all  the  sunshine  of  glitter 
and  gaiety.  I  wondered  at  his  patience  in  sitting  out 
a  play  of  five  acts,  and  a  farce  of  two.  He  said  very 
httle  ;  but  after  the  prologue  to  "  Bon  Ton"  had  been 
spoken,  which  he  could  hear  pretty  well  from  the  more 
slow  and  distinct  utterance,  he  talked  on  prologue-writ- 
ing, and  observed,  "  Dryden  has  written  prologues 
superiour  to  any  that  David  Garrick  has  written  ;  but 
David  Garrick  has  written  more  good  prologues  than. 
Dryden  has  done.  It  is  wonderful  that  he  has  been 
able  to  write  such  variety  of  them." 

At  xMr.  Beauclerk's,  where  1  supped,  was  Mr.  Gar- 
rick, whom  1  made  happy  with  Johnson's  praise  of  his 
prologues  ;  and  1  suppose,  in  gratitude  to  him,  he  took 
up  one  of  his  favourite  topicks  the  nationahty  of  the 
Scotch,  which  he  maintained  in  a  pleasant  manner, 
with  the  aid  of  a  little  poetical  fiction.  "  Come,  come, 
don't  deny  it  :  they  are  really  national.  Why,  now, 
the  Adams  are  as  liberal-minded  men  as  any  in  the 
world  :  but,  I  don't  know  how  it  is,  all  their  workmen 
are  Scotch.  You  are,  to  be  sure,  wonderfully  free  from 
that  nationality  :  but  so  it  happens,  that  you  employ 
the  only  Scotch  shoe-black  in  London."  He  imitated 
the  manner  of  his  old  master  with  ludicrous  exaggera- 
tion ;  repeating,  with  pauses  and  hait-whistiings  inter- 
jected, 


(j(j. 


nR.    JOHNSON.  lo.^ 

*'   Os  Itomini  sublime  dcdit^ — ca'Jninqne  tncri  \11^- 

"  Juss'it^ — et  erectos  ad  sidcra — tollcre  vuitus."  ^i.^T 

looking  downwards  all  the  time,  and,  while  pronounc- 
ing the  tour  last  words,  absolutely  touching  the  ground 
\vith  a  kind  of  contorted  gesticulation. 

Garrick,  however,  when  he  pleased,  could  imitate 
Johnson  very  exactly  ;  for  that  great  actor,  with  his 
distinguished  powers  of  expression  which  were  so  uni- 
versally admired,  possessed  also  an  admirable  talent  of 
mimickry.  He  was  always  jealous  that  Johnson  spoke 
lightly  of  him.  1  recollect  his  exhibiting  him  to  me 
one  day,  as  if  saying  "  Davy  has  some  convivial  pleas- 
antry about  him,  but  'tis  a  futile  fellow  ;"  which  lie 
uttered  perfectly  with  the  tone  and  air  of  Johnson. 

1  cannot  too  frequently  request  of  my  readers,  while 
they  peruse  my  account  of  Johnson's  conversation,  to 
endeavour  to  keep  in  mind  his  deliberate  and  strong  ut- 
terance. His  mode  of  speaking  was  indeed  very  im- 
pressive;' and  1  wish  it  could  be  preserved  as  musick 
is  written,  according  to  the  very  ingenious  method  of 
Mr.  Steele, "^  who  has  shown  how  the  recitation  of  Mr. 
Garrick,  and  other  eminent  speakers,  might  be  trans- 
mitted to  posterity  in  score.  ^ 

Next  day  1  dined  with  Johnson  at  Mr.  Thrale's.  He 
attacked  Gray,  calling  him  "  a  dull  fellow."     Bos  well. 

'  My  noble  friend  Lord  Pembroke  said  once  to  me  at  Wilton,  with  a  happy 
pleasantry  and  some  truth,  that,  "  Dr.  Joiinson's  sayings  would  not  appear  so  ex- 
traordinary, were  it  not  for  his  l>o-:v--zvoiv-zvjy."  The  sayingfs  themselves  arc  u^en- 
erally  of  sterhng  merit ;  but,  doubtless,  his  manner  wsi^  an  addition  to  their  eflcct ; 
and  therefore  should  be  attended  to  as  much  as  may  be.  It  is  necesiarj',  however, 
to  guard  those  who  were  not  acquainted  with  him,  against  overcharged  imitarions 
or  caricatures  of  his  manner,  which  arc  frequently  attempted,  and  many  of  which 
are  second-hand  copies  from  the  late  Mr.  Henderson  the  actor,  who,  though  a 
good  mimick  of  some  persons,  did  not  represent  Johnson  correctly. 

■  See  "  Prosodia  Rationalis ;  or,  an  Essay  towards  establishing  the  Melodv  and 
Measure  of  Speech,  to  be  expressed  and  perpetuated  by  peculiar  Symbols."  Lpn- 
jjon,  1779. 

'  I  use  the  phrase  in  score,  as  Dr.  Johnson  has  explained  it  in  his  Dictionary. 
"  A  jonj^  in  Score,  the  words  with  the  musical  notes  of  a  song  annexed."  But  I 
understand  that  in  scientifick  propriety  it  means  all  the  ))arts  of  a  musical  compo- 
sition noted  down  in  the  characters  by  wliich  it  is  exhibited  to  the  eye  of  the 
skilful. 

[It  was  diclamation  that  Steele  pretended  to  reduce  to  notation  by  new  charac- 
ters. This  he  called  the  melody  of  speech,  not  the  harmony,  wliich  the  term  in 
rsr:  implies.     B.] 


155  THE    LIFE    OP 

1775.  "  I  understand  he  was  reserved,  and  might  appear  dull 
^^  in  company ;  but  surely  he  was  not  dull  in  poetry/' 
66.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  he  was  dull  in  company,  dull  in  his 
closet,  dull  every  where.  He  was  dull  in  a  new  way, 
and  that  made  many  people  think  him  great.  He 
was  a  mechanical  poet.^^  He  then  repeated  some  lu* 
dicrous  lines,  which  have  escaped  my  memory,  and 
said,  "  Is  not  that  great,  hke  his  Odes?"  Mrs.  Thrale 
maintained  that  his  Odes  were  melodious  ;  upon  which 
he  exclaimed, 

"  Weave  the  warp,  and  weave  the  woof  ;"— 

I  added,  in  a  solemn  tone, 

"  The  winding-sheet  of  Edward's  race. 

There  is  a  good  line." — "  Ay,  (said  he),  and  the  next 
line  is  a  good  one,"  (pronouncing  it  contemptuously  ;) 

"  Give  ample  verge  and  room  enough," — 

"  No,  Sir,  there  are  but  two  stanzas  in  Gray's  poetry, 
which  are  in  his  '  Elegy  in  a  Country  Church-yard." 
He  then  repeated  the  stanza, 

"  For  who  to  dumb  forgetfulness  a  prey,"  &c. 

mistaking  one  word  ;  for  instead  of  precincts  he  said 
confines.     He  added,  *  The  other  stanza  1  forget." 

A  young  lady  who  had  married  a  man  much  her  in- 
feriour  in  rank  being  mentioned,  a  question  arose  how 
a  woman's  relations  should  behave  to  her  in  such  a  sit- 
uation ;  and,  while  1  recapitulate  the  debate,  and  re- 
collect what  has  since  happened,  I  cannot  but  be  struck 
in  a  manner  that  delicacy  forbids  me  to  express.  While 
I  contended  that  she  ought  to  be  treated  with  an  in- 
flexible steadiness  of  displeasure,  Mrs.  Ihrale  was  all 
for  mildness  and  forgiveness,  and,  according  to  the  vul- 
gar phrase,  "  making  the  best  of  a  bad  bargain." — 
.Johnson.  "  Madam,  we  must  distinguish.  Were  I 
a  man  of  rank,  1  would  not  let  a  dausrhter  starve  who 
had  made  a  mean  marriage  ;  but  having  voluntarily  de- 
graded herself  from  the  station  which  she  was  original- 
ly entitled  to  hold,  I  would  support  her  only  in  that 


DR.   JOHNSON.  lo7 

which  she  herself  had  chosen  ;  and  would  not  put  her  ^775. 
on  a  level  with  my  other  daughters.     You  are  to  con-  ^^\ 
sider,  Madam,  that  it  is  our  duty  to  maintiiin  the  sub-    c6. 
ordination  of  civilized  society  ;  and  when  there  is  a  gross 
and  shameful  deviation  from  rank,  it  should  be  punish- 
ed so  as  to  deter  others  from  the  same  perversion." 

After  frequently  considering  this  subject,  1  am  more 
and  more  confirmed  in  what  I  then  meant  to  express, 
and  which  was  sanctioned  by  the  authority,  and  illus- 
trated by  the  wisdom,  of  Johnson  ;  and  1  think  it  of 
the  utmost  consequence  to  the  happiness  of  Society,  to 
which  subordination  is  absolutely  necessary.  It  is 
weak,  and  contemptible,  and  unworthy,  in  a  parent  to 
relax  in  such  a  case.  It  is  sacrificing  general  advantage 
to  private  feelings.  And  let  it  be  considered,  that  the 
claim  of  a  daughter  who  has  acted  thus,  to  be  restored 
to  her  former  situation,  is  either  fantastical  or  unjust. 
If  there  be  no  value  in  the  distinction  of  rank,  what 
does  she  suffer  by  being  kept  in  the  situation  to  which 
she  has  descended  ?  If  there  be  a  value  in  that  distinc- 
tion, it  ought  to  be  steadily  maintained.  If  indulgence 
be  shown  to  such  conduct,  and  the  offenders  know  that 
in  a  longer  or  shorter  time  they  shall  be  received  as  well 
as  if  they  had  not  contaminated  their  blood  by  a  base 
alliance,  the  great  check  upon  that  inordinate  caprice 
which  generally  occasions  low  marriages,  will  be  re- 
moved, and  the  fair  and  comfortable  order  of  improved 
life  will  be  miserably  disturbed. 

Lord  Chesterfield's  letters  being  mentioned,  Jolinson 
said,  "  It  was  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  they  had  so 
great  a  sale,  considering  that  they  were  the  letters  of  a 
statesman,  a  wn^  one  who  had  been  so  much  in  the 
mouths  of  mankind,  one  long  accustomed  virum  voli- 
fare  per  ora^^ 

On  Friday,  March  31,  1  supped  with  him  and  some 
friends  at  a  tavern.  One  of  the  company  attempted, 
with  too  much  forwardness,  to  rally  him  on  his  late  ap- 
pearance at  the  theatre  ;  but  had  reason  to  repent  of  his 
temerity.  "  Why,  Sir,  did  you  go  to  Mrs.  Abington's 
benefit?  Did  you  see?"  Johnson.  "No,  Sir."  "Did 
you  hear?"  Johnson.     "  No,  Sir,"    "  Why  thep,  Sir, 


loS  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  did  you  go?"  Johnson.     "  Because,  Sir,  she  is  a  fa- 
^J^  vourite  of  the  pubhck  ;  and  when  the  pubhck  cares  the 
66.    thousandth  part  for  you  that  it  does  for  her,  1  will  go 
to  your  benefit  too." 

Next  morning  I  won  a  small  bet  from  lady  Diana 
Beauclerk,  by  asking  him  as  to  one  of  his  particulari- 
ties, which  her  Ladyship  laid  I  durst  not  do.  It  seems 
he  had  been  frequently  observed  at  the  Club  to  put  in- 
to his  pocket  the  Seville  oranges,  after  he  had  squeezed 
the  juice  of  them  into  the  drink  which  he  made  for 
himself.  Beauclerk  and  Garrick  talked  of  it  to  me,  and 
seemed  to  think  that  he  had  a  strange  unwillingness  to 
be  discovered.  We  could  not  divine  what  he  did  with 
them  ;  and  this  was  the  bold  question  to  be  put.  I  saw 
on  his  table  the  spoils  of  the  preceding  night,  some  fresh 
peels  nicely  scraped  and  cut  into  pieces.  "  O,  Sir,  (said 
1,)  I  now  partly  see  what  you  do  with  the  squeezed 
oranges  which  you  put  into  your  pocket  at  the  Club." 
Johnson.  "  1  have  a  great  love  for  them."  Boswell. 
"  And  pray.  Sir,  what  do  you  do  with  them]  You 
scrape  them  it  seems,  very  neatly,  and  what  next?" 
Johnson.  "  Let  them  dry.  Sir."  Boswell.  "  And 
what  next?"  Johnson.  "Nay,  Sir,  you  shall  know 
their  fate  no  further."  Boswell.  "  Then  the  world 
must  be  left  in  the  dark.  It  must  be  said  (assuming  a 
mock  solemnity,)  he  scraped  them,  and  let  them  dry, 
but  what  he  did  with  them  next,  he  never  could  be  pre- 
vailed upon  to  tell."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  you 
should  say  it  more  emphatically  : — he  could  not  be  pre- 
vailed upon,  even  by  his  dearest  friends,  to  tell." 

He  had  this  morning  received  his  Diploma  as  Doctor 
of  Laws  from  the  University  of  Oxford.  He  did  not 
vaunt  of  his  new  dignity,  but  I  understood  he  was 
highly  pleased  with  it.  I  shall  here  insert  the  progress 
and  completion  of  that  high  academical  h(mour,  in  the 
same  manner  as  1  have  traced  his  obtaining  that  of 
Master  of  Arts. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  159 

To  the  Reverend  Dr.  Fotiiergill,  Vice-ChanrrJlor  '"''^" 
of  the  Vitiversitii  oj'  Oxtorcl,  to  be  commumcdted  to  A'A-aX. 
the  Heads  oj^  Houses,  and  proposed  in  Convocation.      t^t>- 

"  MR.    VICE-CHANCELLOR   AND  GENTLEMEN, 

"  THE  honour  of  the  degree  of  M.  A.  hy  diplo- 
ma, formerly  conferred  upon  Mr.  Samuel  Johnson, 
in  consequence  of  his  having  eminently  distinguished 
himself  by  the  publication  of  a  series  of  Essays,  excel- 
lently calculated  to  form  the  manners  of  the  people, 
and  in  which  the  cause  of  religion  and  morality  has 
been  maintained  and  recommended  by  the  strongest 
powers  of  argument  and  elegance  of  language,  reflected 
an  equal  degree  of  lustre  upon  the  University  itself. 

*'  The  many  learned  labours  which  have  since  that 
time  employed  the  attention  and  displayed  the  abilities 
of  that  great  man,  so  much  to  the  advancement  of  lit- 
erature and  the  benefit  of  the  community,  render  him 
worthy  of  more  distinguished  honours  in  the  Repub- 
lick  of  letters  :  and  1  persuade  myself,  that  1  shall  act 
agreeably  to  the  sentiments  of  the  whole  University,  in 
desiring  that  it  may  be  proposed  in  Convocation  to  con- 
fer on  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  in  Civil  Law  by  diplo- 
ma, to  which  i  readily  give  my  consent;  and  am, 

"  Mr.   Vice-Chancellor  and  Gentlemen, 
"  Your  affectionate  friend  and  servant, 

"  NORTH."'*^ 

"  Dozmiing'Street,  March  23,   177^." 

Diploma. 

«  CANCELLARIUS,  Magistri,  et  Scholares  Univer- 
sitatis  Oxoniensis  ouinihiis  ad  quos  presentes  Literce 
pervenerint,  salutem  in  Domino  Senipiternam. 

"  SciATis,  viriim  illustrem^  Samuelem  Johnson, 
in  omni  humaniorum  literarum  genere  eruditum^  otnnium- 
que  scientiurum  comprehensionefelicissimum,  scriptis  su- 
is,  ad popularium  mores  J'orrnandos  sumnid  verborum  el- 
egantid  uc  sententiurum  gravitate  compositis,  ita  olini  in- 

*  Extracted  from  the  Convocation  Register,  Oxford!. 


l60  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  clarmsse^  ut  dignus  videretur  cuiab  Academid  sua  exim^ 
^^  id  qucedam  Umdis prcemia  deferentur^  quique  venerabilem 
6"g.  Magistrorum  Ordinem  summd  cum  digmtate  cooptaretur : 
"  Ciird  verb  eimdem  clarissimum  virum  tot  posted  tan- 
tique  labor es^  in  patrid  prcesertim  lingud  ornandd  et  sta- 
hiliendd  feliciter  impensi^  ita  insigniverint,  ut  in  Litera- 
rum  Republicd  PRiNCEPsy«^«  et  PRiMARius^Mre  ha- 
beatur ;  JVos,  Cancellarius,  Magistri,  et  Scholares 
Universitatis  Oxoniensis,  qiih  talis  viri  merita  pari  honO' 
ris  remuneratione  excequentur^  et  perpetuum  suce  simul 
iaiidis^  nostrceque  ergd  literas  propensissimte  voluntatis 
extet  monumentiim,  in  solenni  Convocatione  Doctorum  et 
Magistrorum  Regentium,  et  non  Kegentium,  prcedictum 
Samuelem  Johnson  Doctorem  in  Jure  Civili  renun' 
ciavimus  et  constituimus^  eumque  virtute  prcesentis  Di- 
plomatis  singulis  jiiribus^  priviiegiis  et  hondribus,  ad  ist» 
um  gradum  qndqud  pertinentibus,  Jrui  et  gaudere  jussi" 
mus.  In  cujus  rei  testimonium  commune  Universitatis 
Oxoniensis  sigillum  prcesentibus  apponi  f'ecimus. 

"  Datum  in  Domo  nostrte  Convocatioms  die  tricesimo 
Mensis  Martii,  Anno  Domini  Millesimo  septingentesimOf 
septuagesimo  quinto."  ^ 

"  Viro  Reverendo  Thom^  Fothergill,  S.  T.  P, 

Universitatis   Oxoniensis   Vice-Cancellario. 

S.P.D. 

"  Sam.  Johnson. 

'■'■  3IULTIS  non  est  opus,  ut  testimonium  quo,  te 

prccside,  Oxonienses  nojnen  meum  posteris  commenddrunt, 

4  The  original  is  in  my  possession.  He  shewed  me  the  Diploma,  and  allowed 
me  to  read  it,  but  would  not  consent  to  my  taking  a  copy  of  it,  fearing  perhaps 
that  I  should  blaee  it  abroad  in  his  life-time.  His  objection  to  this  appears  from 
his  99th  letter  to  Mrs.  Thrale,  whom  in  letter  he  thus  scolds  for  the  grossness  of 
her  flattery  of  him. — "  The  other  Oxford  news  is,  that  they  have  sent  me  a  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Laws,  with  such  praises  in  the  Diploma  as  perhaps  ought  to  make 
me  ashamed  :  they  are  very  like  your  praises.  I  wonder  whether  I  shall  ever 
shew  it  to  you." 

It  is  remarkable  that  he  never,  so  far  as  I  know,  assumed  his  title  of  Doctor,  but 
called  himself  Mr.  Johnson,  as  appears  from  many  of  his  cards  or  notes  to  myself, 
and  I  have  seen  many  from  him  to  other  persons,  in  which  he  uniformly  takes 
that  designation. — I  once  observed  on  his  table  a  letter  directed  to  him  with  the 
addition  of  Esquire,  and  objected  to  it  as  being  a  designation  inferiour  to  that  of 
Doctor ;  but  he  checked  me,  and  seemed  pleased  with  it,  because,  as  I  conjectured, 
he  liked  to  be  sometimes  taken  out  of  the  class  of  literary  mcDj  and  to  be  merely 
genf.'-'/,—rtr>  q;enf''lhi>'nmt!  comfn;  im  n'tUe. 


1 


DR.    JOHNSON.  161 

ffuali  animo   acceper'nn  compertum  fuciam.     Nemo  .9/7;/ 1/75. 
plucens  non  hatatur;  nemo  sibinon  placet^  qui  lohis,  lif~  ^/.^ 
erarnni  urlntns^  placere  potnit.     Hoc   tumen  hubel   in-    OG. 
commodi  iaiitnm  benefkium^  quod  mihi  nunqnam  post  hue 
sine  vestrtK  famce  detrimento  vel  labi  liceat  vel  cessare  ; 
semperqne  sit  timendum^  ne  quod  mi/ii  tarn  exiniice  laudi 
rst^-cobis  aliquando  fiat  approbrio.      Vaie."^ 
"  7.  Jd.  Apr.  177^  " 

He  revised  some  sheets  of  Lord  Hailes's  "  Annals  of 
Scotland,"  and  wrote  a  few  notes  on  the  margin  with 
red  ink,  which  he  hade  me  tell  his  Lordship  did  not 
sink  into  the  paper,  and  might  be  wiped  oil'  with  a  wet 
sponge,  so  that  he  did  not  spoil  his  manuscript. — I  ob- 
served to  him  that  there  were  very  few  of  his  fi  iends  so 
accurate  as  that  1  could  venture  to  put  down  in  writing 
what  they  told  me  as  his  sayings.  Johnson.  "  Why 
should  you  write  down  )?if/  sayings  I"  Boswell.  "  I 
write  them  when  they  are  good."  Johnson.  "  Nay, 
you  may  as  well  write  down  the  sayings  of  any  one 
else  that  are  good."  But  zcbere,  1  might  with  great 
propriety  have  added,  can  1  find  such  I 

1  visited  him  by  appointment  in  the  evening,  and  we 
drank  tea  with  Mrs.  Williams.  He  told  me  that  he 
had  been  in  the  company  of  a  gentleman  whose  extra- 
ordinary travels  had  been  much  the  subject  of  conver- 
sation. But  1  found  he  had  not  listened  to  him  with 
that  full  confidence,  without  which  there  is  little  satis- 
faction in  the  society  of  travellers.  1  was  curious  to 
hear  what  opinion  so  able  a  judge  as  Johnson  had  form- 
ed of  his  abilities,  and  1  asked  if  he  was  not  a  man  of 
sense.  Johnson.  "  W'hy,  Sir,  he  is  not  a  distinct  re- 
later  ;  and  1  should  say,  he  is  neither  abounding  nor 
deficient  in  sense.  1  did  not  perceive  any  superiority 
of  understanding."  Boswell.  "  But  will  you  not  al- 
low him  a  nobleness  of  resolution,  in  penetrating  into 
distant  regions  ?"  Johnson.  "  rhat,  Sir,  is  not  to  the 
present  purpose  :  We  are  talking  of  sense.  A  fighting 
cock  has  a  nobleness  of  resolution." 

*  "  The  original  is  in  the  hands  of  Dr.  FotJicrgill,  then  Vice-ChanccUor,  who 
made  this  transcript."     T.  Warton. 

VOL.    II.  ^l 


Ibi^  THE    LIFE    Off 

'775.  Next  day,  Sunday,  April  2,  I  dined  with  him  at  Mr. 
2^  Hoole's.  We  talked  of  Pope.  Johnson.  "  He  wrote 
C)6.  his  *  Diinciad'  for  fame.  That  was  his  primary  motive. 
Had  it  not  been  for  that,  the  dunces  might  have  railed 
against  him  till  they  were  weary,  without  his  troubling 
himself  about  them.  He  delighted  to  vex  them,  no 
doubt  ;  but  he  had  more  delight  in  seeing  how  well  he 
could  vex  them." 

The  "  Odes  to  Obscurity  and  Oblivion,"  in  ridicule 
of  "  cool  Mason  and  warm  Gray,"  being  mentioned, 
Johnson  said,  "  They  are  Colman's  best  things."  Up- 
on its  beinof  observed  that  it  was  believed  these  Odes 
were  made  by  Colman  and  Lloyd  jointly  ; — Johnson. 
"  Nay,  Sir,  how  can  two  people  make  an  Ode  ?  Per- 
haps one  made  one  of  them,  and  one  the  other."  I 
observed  that  two  people  had  made  a  play,  and  quoted 
the  anecdote  of  Beaumont  and  Fletcher,  who  were 
brought  under  suspicion  of  treason,  because  while  con- 
certing the  plan  of  a  tragedy  when  sitting  together  at  a 
tavern,  one  of  them  was  overheard  saying  to  the  other, 
"  ril  kill  the  King."  Johnson.  ''  The  first  of  these 
Odes  is  the  best  ;  but  they  are  both  good.  They  ex- 
posed a  verN'^  bad  kind  of  writing."  Boswell.  "  Sure- 
ly, Sir,  Mr.  Mason's  '  Elfrida'  is  a  fine  Poem  :  at  least 
you  will  allow  there  are  some  good  passages  in  it." 
Johnson.  "  There  are  now  and  then  some  good  imi- 
tations of  Milton's  bad  manner." 

i  often  wondered  at  his  low  estimation  of  the  writ- 
ings of  Gray  and  Mason.  Of  Gray's  poetry  1  have  in  a 
former  part  of  this  work,  expressed  my  high  opinion  ; 
and  for  that  of  Mr.  Mason  1  have  ever  entertained  a 
warm  admiration.  His  "  lilfrida"  is  exquisite,  both  in 
poetical  description  and  moral  sentiment;  and  his 
"  Caractacus"  is  a  noble  drama.  Nor  can  1  omit  pay- 
ing my  tribute  of  praise  to  some  of  his  smaller  poems, 
which  I  have  read  with  pleasure,  and  which  no  criti- 
cism shall  persuade  me  not  to  like.  If  1  wondered  at 
Johnson's  not  tasting  the  works  of  Mason  and  Gray, 
still  more  have  1  wondered  at  their  not  tasting  his 
works  :  that  thev  should  be  insensible  to  his  eners^y  of 
diction,  to  his  splendour  of  images,  and  comprehension 


DR.    JOHNSON.  16J 

of  thouo^ht.    Tastes  may  ihiYer  as  to  the  violin,  tlie  flute,  '775. 
the  hautl)oy,   in  short  all  the  lesser  instruments  :  but  ^,'^^ 
who  can  he  insensible  to   the   powerful   inijM'essions  of  (jij. 
the  majesliek  organ  I 

His  "  Taxation  no  Tyranny"  being  mentioned,  he 
said,  "  I  think  I  have  not  been  attacked  enough  for  it. 
Attack  is  the  re-action  ;  I  never  think  1  have  hit  hard, 
unless  it  re-bounds."  Boswell.  '*  1  don't  know,  Sir, 
what  you  would  be  at.  Five  or  six  shots  of  small  arms 
in  every  newspaper,  and  repeated  cannonading-  in  pam- 
phlets, might,  1  think,  satisfy  you.  But,  Sir,  you'll 
never  make  out  this  match,  of  which  we  have  talked, 
with  a  certain  political  lady,  since  you  are  so  severe 
against  her  principles."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  I  have 
the  better  chance  for  that.  She  is  like  the  Amazons  of 
old ;  she  must  be  courted  by  the  sword.  But  I  have 
not  been  severe  upon  her."  Boswell.  "  Yes,  Sir, 
you  have  made  her  ridiculous."  Johnson.  "  That  was  , 
already  done.  Sir.  To  endeavour  to  make  her  ridicu-  \ 
lous,  is  like  blacking  the  chimney." 

1  put  him  in  mind  that  the  landlord  at  Ellon  in  Scot- 
land said,  that  he  heard  he  was  the  greatest  man  in 
England, — next  to  Lord  Mansfield.  "  Ay,  Sir,  (said 
he,)  the  exception  defined  the  idea.  A  Scotchman 
could  go  no  farther  : 

'  The  force  of  Nature  could  no  farther  go." 

Lady  Miller's  collection  of  verses  by  fashionable  peo- 
ple, which  were  put  into  her  vase  at  Batheaston  villa, 
near  Bath,  in  competition  for  honorary  prizes,  being 
mentioned,  he  held  them  very  cheap  :  "  Bouts  rimes 
(said  he,)  is  a  mere  conceit,  and  an  old  conceit  uoiv  ; 
I  wonder  how  people  were  persuaded  to  write  in  that 
manner  for  this  lady."  1  named  a  gentleman  of 
his  acquaintance  who  wrote  for  the  Vase.  Johnson. 
"  He  was  a  blockhead  for  his  pains."  Boswell.  "  The 
Duchessof  Northumberland  wrote."  Johnson.  "Sir, 
the  Duchess  of  Northumberland  may  do  what  she 
pleases  :  nobody  will  say  any  thing  to  a  lady  of  her 
high  rank.  But  1  should  be  apt  to  throw  ******'s 
verses  in  his  face." 


164  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  I  talked  of  the  cheerfulness  of  Fleet-street,  owing  to 
^'^  the  constant  quick  succession  of  people  which  we  per- 
66.  ceive  passing  through  it.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  Fleet- 
street  has  a  very  animated  appearance  ;  but  I  think  the 
full  tide  of  human  existence  is  at  Charing-cross." 

He  made  the  common  remark  on  the  un happiness 
which  men  who  have  led  a  busy  life  experience,  when 
the}^  retire  in  expectation  of  enjoying  themselves  at 
ease,  and  that  they  generally  languish  for  want  of  their 
habitual  occupation,  and  wish  to  return  to  it.  He  men- 
tioned as  strong  an  instance  of  this  as  can  well  be  im- 
agined. "  An  eminent  tallow-chandler  in  London,  who 
had  acquired  a  considerable  fortune,  gave  up  the  trade 
in  favour  of  his  foreman,  and  went  to  live  at  a  country- 
house  near  town.  He  soon  grew  w^eary,  and  paid  fre- 
quent visits  to  his  old  shop,  where  he  desired  they 
might  let  him  know  their  melting-days,  and  he  would 
,  come  and  assist  them  ;  which  he  accordingly  did. 
Here,  Sir,  was  a  man,  to  whom  the  most  disgusting  cir- 
cumstances in  the  business  to  which  he  had  been  used, 
was  a  relief  from  idleness." 

On  Wednesday,  April  5,  I  dined  with  him  at  Mes- 
sieurs Dilly^s,  with  Mr.  John  Scott  of  Amvvell,  the 
Quaker,  Mr.  Langton,  Mr.  Miller,  (now  Sir  John,)  and 
Dr.  Thomas  Campbell,  an  Irish  Clergyman,  whom  I 
took  the  liberty  of  inviting  to  JSIr.  Dilly's  table,  having 
seen  him  at  Mr.  Thrale's,  and  been  told  that  he  had 
come  to  England  chiefly  with  a  view  to  see  Dr.  John- 
son, for  whom  he  entertained  the  highest  veneration. 
He  has  since  published  "  A  Philosophical  Survey  of 
the  South  of  Ireland,"  a  very  entertaining  book,  which 
has,  however,  one  fault  : — that  it  assumes  the  fictitious 
character  of  an  Englishman. 

We  talked  of  publick  speaking. — Johnson.  "  We 
must  not  estimate  a  man's  powers  by  his  being  able  or 
not  able  to  deliver  his  sentiments  in  publick.  Isaac 
Hawkins  Browne,  one  of  the  first  wits  of  this  country, 
got  into  Parliament,  and  never  opened  his  mouth.  For 
my  own  part,  1  think  it  is  more  disgraceful  never  to  try 
to  speak,  than  to  try  it,  and  fail ;  iis  it  is  more  disgrace- 
ful not  to  fight,  than  to  fight  and  be  beaten."     This 


DR.   JOHNSON.  iGo 

argument  appeared  to  me  fallacious;  for  it  a  man  has  1775. 
not  spoken,  it  may  be  said  that  he  would  have  done  ^j,^ 
very  well  if  he  had  tried  ;  whereas,  if  he  has  tried  and    (;o\ 
failed,  tlure  is   nothing   to   be  said  for  him.       "  \\  hy 
then,  (I  asked,)  is  it  thought  disgraceful  for  a  man  not 
to  fight,  and  not  disgraceful  not  to  speak  in  publick  ?" 
Johnson.  "  13ecaus«^  there  may  be  other  reasons   for  a 
man's  not  speaking  in  publick  than  want  of  resolution  : 
he  may  have   nothing  to  say,  (laughing.)     Whereas, 
Sir,  you  know  courage  is  reckoned  the  greatest  of  all 
virtues  ;  because,  unless  a  man  has  that  virtue,  he  has 
no  security  for  preserving  any  other." 

He  observed,  that  "  the  statutes  against  bribery  were 
intended  to  prevent  upstarts  with  money  from  getting 
into  Parliament  ;"  adding,  that  "  if  he  were  a  gentle- 
man of  landed  property,  he  would  turn  out  all  Ijis  ten- 
ants who  did  not  vote  for  the  candidate  whom  he  sup- 
ported." Langton.  "  Would  not  that,  Sir,  be  check- 
ing the  freedom  of  election  V  Johnson.  "  Sir,  the  law 
does  not  mean  that  the  privilege  of  voting  should  be 
independent  of  old  family  interest ;  of  the  permanent 
property  of  the  country." 

On  Thursday,  April  6,  I  dined  with  him  at  Mr. 
Thomas  Davies^s,  with  Mr.  Hicky  the  painter,  and  my 
old  acquaintance  Mr.  Moody,  the  player. 

Dr.  Johnson,  as  usual,  spoke  contemptuously  of 
Colley  Gibber.  "  It  is  wonderful  that  a  man,  who  for 
fort}'  years  had  lived  with  the  great  and  the  witty, 
should  have  acquired  so  ill  the  talents  of  conversation  : 
and  he  had  but  half  to  furnish  ;  for  one  half  of  what  he 
said  was  oaths."  He,  however,  allowed  considerable 
merit  to  some  of  his  comedies,  and  said  there  was  no 
reason  to  believe  that  the  "  Careless  Husband"  was 
not  written  by  himself.  Davies  said,  he  was  the  first 
dramatick  writer  who  introduced  genteel  ladies  upon 
the  stage.  Johnson  refuted  his  observation  by  in- 
stancing several  such  characters  in  comedies  before  his 
time.  Davies.  (trying  todefend  himself  from  a  charge  of 
ignorance,)  "  1  mean  genteel  moral  characters."  "  { 
think  (said  Hicky,)  gentility  and  morality  are  insepara- 
ble," BoswELL,  '•  By  no  means,  Sir.  Thegenteelestchar-: 


166  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  acters  are  often  the  most  immoral.  Does  not  Lord  Ches- 
terfield give  precepts  for  uniting  wickedness  and  the 
graces  I  A  man,  indeed,  is  not  genteel  when  he  gets 
drunk  ;  but  most  vices  may  be  committed  very  gen- 
teelly :  a  man  may  debauch  his  friend's  wife  genteelly  : 
he  may  cheat  at  cards  genteelly/'  "  Hicky.  ''1  do  not 
think  t/tat  is  genteel."  Boswell.  "  Sir,  it  may  not  be 
like  a  gentleman,  but  it  may  be  genteel."  Johnson. 
"  You  are  meaning  two  different  things.  One  means 
exteriour  grace  ;  the  other  honour.  It  is  certain  that 
a  man  may  be  very  immoral  with  exteriour  grace. 
Lovelace,  in  '  Clarissa,'  is  a  very  genteel  and  a  very 
wicked  character.  Tom  Hervey,  who  died  t'other 
day,  though  a  vicious  man,  was  one  of  the  genteelest 
men  that  ever  lived."  Tom  Davies  instanced  Charles 
the  Second.  Johnson,  (taking  fire  at  any  attack  upon 
that  Prince,  for  whom  he  had  an  extraordinary  partial- 
ity,) "  Charles  the  Second  was  licentious  in  his  prac- 
tice ;  but  he  always  had  a  reverence  for  what  was 
good.  Charles  the  Second  knew  his  people,  and  re- 
warded merit.  The  Church  was  at  no  time  better 
filled  than  in  his  reign.  He  was  the  best  King  we 
have  had  from  his  time  till  the  reign  of  his  present 
Majesty,  except  James  the  Second,  who  was  a  very 
good  King,  but  unhappily  believed  that  it  was  neces- 
sary for  the  salvation  of  his  subjects  that  they  should 
be  Roman  Catholicks.  He  had  the  merit  of  endeav- 
ouring to  do  what  he  thought  was  for  the  salvation  of 
the  souls  of  his  subjects,  till  he  lost  a  great  Empire. 
We,  who  thought  that  we  should  not  be  saved  if  we 
were  Roman  Catholicks,  had  the  merit  of  maintaining 
our  religion,  at  the  expence  of  submitting  ourselves  to 
the  government  of  King  William,  (for  it  could  not  be 
done  otherwise,) — to  the  government  of  one  of  the 
most   worthless   scoundrels   that  ever  existed.      No  ; 

Charles  the  Second  was  not  such  a  man  as , 

(naming  another  King.)  He  did  not  destroy  his  fa- 
ther's will.  He  took  money,  indeed,  from  France  : 
but  he  did  not  betray  those  over  whom  he  ruled  :  He 
did  not  let  the  French  fleet  pass  ours.  George  the 
First  knew  nothing,  and  desired  to  know  nothing  ;  did 


DR.    JOHNSON.  167 


nothing,  and  desired  to  do  nothing  ;  and  the  only  good  i775. 
thing  that  is  told  of  hinn  is,  that  he  wished  to  restore  ^taT 
the  crown  to  its   hereditary   successor.'"      He   roared   fifi. 
with   prodigious  violence  against  George  the  Second. 
When  he  ceased,  M<Jody  interjected,  in  an  Irish  tone, 
and  with  a  comick  look,  "■  Ah  !  poor  George  the  Sec- 
ond." 

1  mentioned  that  Dr.  Thomas  Campbell  had  come 
from  Ireland  to  London,  principally  to  see  Ur.  John- 
son. He  seemed  angry  at  this  observation.  Davies. 
"  Why,  you  know.  Sir,  there  came  a  man  from  Spain  / 
to  see  Livy  ;^  and  Corelli  came  to  England  to  see 
Purcell,*  and,  when  he  heard  he  was  dead,  went  di- 
rectly back  again  to  Italy."  Johnson.  "  I  should  not 
have  wished  to  be  dead  to  disappoint  Campbell,  had  he 
been  so  foolish  as  you  represent  him  ;  but  i  should 
have  wished  to  have  been  a  hundred  miles  off."  This 
was  apparently  perverse  ;  and  1  do  believe  it  was  not 
his  real  way  of  thinking  :  he  could  not  but  like  a  man 
who  came  so  far  to  see  him.  He  laughed  with  some 
complacency,  when  I  told  him  Campbell's  odd  expres- 
sion to  me  concerning  him  :  "  That  having  seen  such 
a  man,  was  a  thing  to  talk  of  a  century  hence," — as  if 
he  could  live  so  long. 

We  got  into  an  argument  whether  the  Judges  who 
went  to  India  might  with  propriety  engage  in  trade. 
Johnson  warmly  maintained  that  they  might,  "  For 
why  (he  urged)  should  not  Judges  get  riches,  as  well  as 
those  who  deserve  them  less  ]"  1  said,  they  should 
have  sufficient  salaries,  and  have  nothing  to  take  off 
their  attention  from  the  affairs  of  the  publick.  John- 
son. "  No  Judge,  Sir,  can  give  his  whole  attention  to 
his  office  ;  and  it  is  very  proper  that  he  should  employ 
what  time  he  has  to  himself,  to  his  own  advantage,  in 
the  most  profitable  manner."  "  Then,  Sir,  (said  Da- 
vies,  who  enlivened  the  dispute  by  making  it  some- 
what dramatick,)  he  may  become  an  insurer  ;  and  when 
he  is  going  to  the  bench,  he  may  "be  stopped, — '  Your 

Plin.  Epist.  Lib.  ii.  Ep.  3. 
*  [Mr. Davies  vm here  luisukch.    Cerelll  never  wa«  in  Ens^Iand.    B'' 


16S  THE    LITE    OF 

J775.  Lordship  cannot  go  yet  ;  here  is  a  bunch  of  invoices  : 
"^(^  several  ships  are  about  to  sail,"  Johnson.  "  Sir,  you 
66.  may  as  well  say  a  Judge  should  not  have  a  house  ;  for 
they  may  come  and  tell  him,  "  Your  Lordship's  house 
is  on  fire  ;"  and  so,  instead  of  minding  the  business  of 
his  Court,  he  is  to  be  occupied  in  getting  the  engine 
with  the  greatest  speed.  There  is  no  end  of  this. 
Every  Judge  who  has  land,  trades  to  a  certain  extent 
in  corn  or  in  cattle  ;  and  in  the  land  itself  undoubtedly 
his  steward  acts  for  him,  and  so  do  clerks  for  a  great 
merchant.  A  Judge  may  be  a  fariner  ;  but  he  is  not 
to  geld  his  own  pigs.  A  Judge  may  play  a  little  at 
cards  for  his  amusement  ;  but  he  is  not  to  play  at 
marbles,  or  chuck  farthing  in  the  Piazza.  No,  Sir ; 
there  is  no  profession  to  which  a  man  gives  a  very 
great  proportion  of  his  time.  It  is  wonderful  when  a  cal- 
culation is  made,  how  little  the  mind  is  actually  em- 
ployed in  the  discharge  of  any  profession.  No  man  would 
be  a  Judge,  upon  the  condition  of  being  totally  a  Judge. 
The  best  employed  lawyer  has  his  mind  at  work  but 
for  a  small  proportion  of  his  time  :  a  great  deal  of  his 
occupation  is  merely  mechanical. — 1  once  wrote  for  a 
magazine  :  I  made  a  calculation,  that  if  1  should  write 
.  but  a  page  a  day,  at  the  same  rate,  I  should,  in  ten 
years,  write  nine  volumes  in  folio,  of  an  ordinary  size 
and  print."  Bos  well.  "  Such  as  Carte's  History  ?" 
Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir,  When  a  man  writes  from  his 
,  own  mind,  he  writes  very  rapidly.  ^  The  greatest  part 
of  a  writer's  time  is  spent  in  reading,  in  order  to  write  ; 
a  man  will  turn  over  half  a  library  to  make  one  book." 
1  argued  warmly  against  the  Judges  trading,  and 
mentioned  Hale  as  an  instance  of  a  perfect  Judge,  who 
devoted  himself  entirely  to  his  office.  Johnsox. 
"  Hale,  Sir,  attended  to  other  things  beside  law  :  he 
left  a  great  estate."  Boswell.  "  That  was,  because 
what  he  got,  accumulated  without  any  exertion  and 
anxiety  on  his  part^' 

While  the  dispute  went  on.  Moody  once  tried  to  say 
something  on  our  side,      lorn  Davies  clapped  him  on 

''  Johnson  certainly  did,  who  had  a  mind  stored  with  knowledge,  and  teenuD|r 
with  imagery :  but  the  observation  is  not  applicable  to  writers  in  general. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  169 

the  back,   to  encourage  him.     Beaucleik,  to  whom  1  '775. 
mentioned  this  circumstance,  said,  "  thai  he  could  not  iT.'T 

I  ...        .  .  .  ,  ,  ,  ;T.I:il. 

conceive  a  more  hiiniuialing  situation  tliau  to  be   cla[»-    no. 
ped  on  the  back  by   lorn  Oavies." 

VVe  spoke  of  Rolt,  to  whose  Dictionary  of  Com- 
merce, Dr.  .Johnson  wrote  tlie  Preface.  Johnson, 
"  Old  Gardner  the  bookseller  employed  Holt  and  Smart 
to  write  a  monthly  miscellany,  called  '  I'he  Universal 
\  isitor.'  There  was  a  formal  written  contract,  which 
Allen  the  Printer  saw.  Gardner  thought  as  you  do  of 
the  Judge.  They  were  bound  to  write  nothing  else  ; 
they  were  to  have,  I  think,  a  third  of  the  prcfits  t»f  his 
sixpenny  pamphlet  ;  ami  the  contract  was  tor  ninety- 
nine  vears.  I  wish  1  had  thouoht  of  ffiviiiij  this  to 
Thurlow,  in  the  cause  about  Literary  Property.  What 
an  excellent  instance  would  it  have  been  of  the  op- 
pression of  booksellers  towards  poor  authours  !"'  (smil- 
ing !)  Davies,  zealous  for  the  honour  of  f//e  Trade., 
said,  Gardner  was  not  properly  a  bookseller.  John- 
son. "  Nay,  Sir  ;  he  certainly  was  a  bookseller.  He 
had  served  his  time  regularly,  was  a  member  of  the 
Stationers'  company,  kept  a  shop  in  the  face  of  man- 
kind, purchased  copy-right,  and  was  a  bibliopole.,  Sir, 
ia  every  sense.  1  wrote  for  some  months  in  '  The 
Universal  \  isitor,'  for  poor  Smart,  while  he  was  mad, 
not  then  knowing  the  terms  on  which  he  was  engaged 
to  vvritp,  and  thinking  I  was  doing  him  good.  1  hoped 
his  wits  would  soon  return  to  him.  Mine  returned  to 
rae,  and  I  wrote  in  '  The  Universal  Visitor'  no  longer.'' 

Friday,  April  7,  1  dined  with  him  at  a  Tavern,  with 
a  numerous  company.  Johnson.  "  I  have  been  read- 
ing '  Twiss's  Travels  in  Spain,'  which  are  just  come 
out.  They  are  as  good  as  the  first  book  of  travels  that 
you  will  take  up.  They  are  as  good  as  those  of  Keys- 
ler  or  Blainville  :  nay,  as  Addison's,^  if  you  except  th^ 

'  There  has  probably  been  some  mistake  as  to  the  terms  of  this  supposed  extra- 
wdinary  contract,  the  recital  of  which  from  hearsay  afforded  Johnson  so  much 
play  for  his  sportive  acuteness.  Or  if  it  was  wordea  as  he  supposed,  it  is  so  strange 
that  I  should  conclude  it  was  a  joke.  Mr.  Gardner,  I  am  assured,  was  a  worthy 
and  liberal  man. 

-  [Speaking  of  Addison's  Remarks  an  Italy  in  "  The  Journal  of  a  Tour  to  the  He- 
brides," (p.  320,  3d  edit.)  he  says,  «  it  is  a  tedious  book,  sjid  if  it  were  not  attach- 

VOl,.   11.  3? 


170  THE    LIFE    OP 

1775.  learning.  They  are  not  so  good  as  Brydone's,  but  they 
~  are  better  than  Pococke's.  I  have  not,  indeed,  cut  the 
leaves  yet  ;  but  i  have  read  in  them  where  the  pages 
are  open,  and  1  do  not  suppose  that  what  is  in  the  pages 
which  are  closed  is  worse  than  what  is  in  the  open 
pages. — It  would  seem  (he  added,)  that  Addison  had 
not  acquired  much  Italian  learning,  for  we  do  not  find 
it  introduced  into  his  writings.  The  only  instance  that 
I  recollect,  is  his  quoting  "  Stavo  bene  ;  per  star  meg' 
/io,  sto  qui."^ 

I  mentioned  Addison's  having  borrowed  many  of  his 
classical  remarks  from  Leandro  Alberti.  Mr.  Beau- 
clerk  said,  "  It  was  alledged  that  he  had  borrowed  also 
from  another  Italian  authour."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir, 
all  who  '10  to  look  for  what  the  Classicks  have  said  of 
Italy,  must  find  the  same  passages  ;'^  and  I  should 
think  it  would  be  one  of  the  first  things  the  Italians 
would  do  on  the  revival  of  learning,  to  collect  all  that 
the  Roman  authours  have  said  of  their  country." 

Ossian  being  mentioned  ; — Johnson.  "  Supposing 
the  Irish  and  Erse  languages  to  be  the  same,  which  I  do 
not  believe,  yet  as  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Highlands  and  Hebrides  ever 
wrote  their  native  language,  it  is  not  to  be  credited  that 
a  long  poem  was  preserved  among  them.  If  we  had 
no  evidence  of  the  art  of  writing  being  practised  in  one 
of  the  counties  of  England,  we  should  not  believe  that 
a  long  poem  was  preserved  there^  though  in  the  neigh- 
bouring counties,  where  the  same  language  was  spoken, 
the  inhabitants  could  write.*'  Beauclerk.  "  The 
ballad  of  Lilliburlero  was  once  in  the  mouths  of  all  the 
people  of  this  country,  and  is  said  to  have  had  a  great 
effect  in  bringing  about  the  Revolution.  Yet  I  ques- 
tion w  hether  any  body  can  repeat  it  now  ;  which  shews 

ed  to  Addison's  previous  reputation,  one  would  not  think  much  of  it.  Had  he 
written  nothin^i^  else,  his  name  would  not  have  Hved.  Addison  does  not  seem  to 
have  gone  deep  into  ItaUan  hterature :  he  shews  nothing  of  it  in  his  subsequent 
writings. — He  shews  a  great  deal  of  French  learning."     M.j 

3  [Addison,  however,  does  not  mention  where  tliis  celebrated  Epitaph,  wliich 
has  eluded  a  very  diligent  enquiry,  is  found.     M.] 

"  ["  But  if  you  find  the  same  appHcaiions  in  another  book,  then  Addison's  learn- 
ing falls  to  the  ground."     Jouroal  of  a  Tour  to  tJie  Hebrides,  ut  supra,    M.] 


DU.    JOHNSON.  171 

how  improbahio  it  is  that  much  poetry  should  be  pic-  1775. 
served  by  tradition."  ^taT 

One  of  the  company  suggested  an  internal  objection    qq,  ' 
to  the  anticjuity  of  the  poetry  said  to  be  Ossian's,  that 
we  do  not  find  the  wolf  in  it,  which  must  have  been 
the  case  had  it  been  of  that  age. 

The  mention  of  the  wolf  had  led  Johnson  to  think 
of  other  wild  beasts  ;  and  while  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds 
and  jNIr.  Langton  were  carrying  on  a  dialogue  about 
something  which  engaged  them  earnestly,  he,  in  the 
midst  of  it,  broke  out,  "  Pennant  tells  of  Bears. — " 
[what  he  added,  I  have  forgotten.]  They  went  on, 
which  he  being  dull  of  hearing,  did  not  perceive,  or, 
if  he  did,  was  not  willing  to  break  off  his  talk  ;  so  he 
continued  to  vociferate  his  remarks,  and  Bear  ("  like 
a  word  in  a  catch"  as  Beauclerk  said,)  was  repeatedly 
heard  at  intervals,  which  coming  from  him  who,  by 
those  who  did  not  know  him,  had  been  so  often  assim- 
ilated to  that  ferocious  animal,  while  we  who  were  sit- 
ting around  could  hardly  stifle  laughter,  produced  a  ve- 
ry ludicrous  effect.  Silence  having  ensued,  he  pro- 
ceeded :  "  We  are  told,  that  the  black  bear  is  inno- 
cent; but  I  should  not  like  to  trust  myself  with  him." 
Mr.  Gibbon  muttered,  in  a  low  tone  of  voice,  "  1 
should  not  like  to  trust  myself  with  i/ou"  This  piece  of 
sarcastick  pleasantry  was  a  prudent  resolution,  if  applied 
to  a  competition  of  abilities. 

Patriotism  having  become  one  of  our  topicks,  John- 
son suddenly  uttered,  in  a  strong  determined  tone,  an 
apophthegm,  at  which  many  will  start :  "  Patriotism  is  ' 
the  last  refuge  of  a  scoundrel."  But  let  it  be  consider- 
ed, that  he  did  not  mean  a  real  and  generous  love  of  our 
country,  but  that  pretended  patriotism  which  so  many, 
in  all  ages  and  countries,  have  made  a  cloak  for  self- 
interest.  I  maintained,  that  certainly  all  patriots  were 
not  scoundrels.  Being  urged,  (not  by  Johnson)  to 
name  one  exception,  1  mentioned  an  eminent  person, 
whom  we  all  greatly  admired.  Johnson.  *'  Sir,  1  do 
not  say  that  he  is  nof  honest ;  but  we  have  no  reason 
to  conclude  from  his  political  conduct  that  he  is  honest. 
Were  he  to  accept  a  place  from  this  ministry,  he  would 


172  XHE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  lose  that  character  of  firmness  which  he  has,  and  might 
^taT  ^^  turned  out  of  his  place  in  a  year.  This  ministry  is 
QQ,  neither  stable,  nor  grateful  to  their  friends,  as  Sir  Ro- 
bert Walpole  was ;  so  that  he  may  think  it  more  for  in- 
terest to  take  his  chance  of  his  party  coming  in." 

Mrs.  Pritchard  being  mentioned,  he  said,  "  Her 
playing  was  quite  mechanical.  It  is  wonderful  how  lit- 
tle mind  she  had.  Sir,  she  had  never  read  the  tragedy 
of  Macbeth  all  through.  She  no  more  thought  of  the 
play  out  of  which  her  part  was  taken,  than  a  shoema- 
ker thiuks  of  the  skin,  out  of  which  the  piece  of  leath- 
er, of  which  he  is  making  a  pair  of  shoes,  is  cut." 

On  Saturday,  May  8,  1  dined  with  him  at  Mr. 
Thrale's,  where  we  met  the  Irish  Dr.  Campbell.  John- 
son had  supped  the  night  before  at  Mrs.  Abington's 
with  some  fashionable  people  whom  he  named  ;  and  he 
seemed  much  pleased  with  having  made  one  in  so  ele- 
gant a  circle.  Nor  did  he  omit  to  pique  his  mistress  a 
little  with  jealousy  of  her  housewifery  ;  for  he  said, 
(with  a  smile,)  "  Mrs.  Abington's  jelly,  my  dear  Lady, 
was  better  than  yours." 

Mrs.  Thrale,  who  frequently  practised  a  coarse  mode 
of  flattery,  by  repeating  his  hon-mots  in  his  hearing, 
told  us  that  he  had  said,  a  certain  celebrated  actor  was 
just  fit  to  stand  at  the  door  of  an  auction-room  with  a 
long  pole,  and  cry  "  Pray,  gentlemen,  walk  in  ;"  and 
that  a  certain  authour,  upon  hearing  this,  had  said, 
that  another  still  more  celebrated  actor  was  fit  for  no- 
thing better  than  that,  and  would  pick  your  pocket  af- 
ter you  came  out.  Johnson.  "  Nay,  my  dear  lady, 
there  is  no  wit  in  what  our  friend  added ;  there  is  only 
abuse.  You  may  as  well  say  of  any  man  that  he  will 
pick  a  pocket.  Besides,  the  man  who  is  stationed  at 
the  door  does  not  pick  people's  pockets ;  that  is  done 
within,  by  the  auctioneer." 

Mrs.  Thrale  told  us,  that  Tom  Davies  repeated,  in 
a  very  bald  manner,  the  story  of  Dr.  Johnson's  first 
repartee  to  me,  which  I  have  related  exactly.*  He 
made  me  say,  "  \was  bom  in  Scotland,"  instead  of  "  I 

*■  p.  307.  Vol.  I. 


Dti.    JOHNSON  17s 

yonie  Jrom  Scotland  ;"  so  that  Johnson's  sayin;^,   '  That,  »775. 
Sir,  is  what  a  great  many  of  your  countrynion  cannot  ^(^ 
help,"  had  no  point,  or  cvon  meaning-:  and  that  upon    (](>. 
this  beinja:  mentioned  to  Mr.   Fitzherbert,  he  (>i>servL'd, 
"  It  is  not  every  man  that  cun  cam/  a  6ott-wo/.'' 

On  Monday,  April  10,  1  dined  with  him  at  General 
Oglethorpe's,  with  Mr.  Langton  and  the  Irish  Dr. 
Campbell,  whom  the  General  had  obligingly  given  me 
leave  to  bring  with  me.  'I'his  learned  gentleman  was 
thus  gratified  with  a  very  high  intellectual  feast,  by  not 
only  being  in  company  with  Dr.  Johnson,  but  with 
General  Oglethorpe,  who  had  been  so  long  a  celebra- 
ted name  both  at  home  and  abroad.  ^ 

I  must,  again  and  again,  intreat  of  my  readers  not 
to  suppose  that  my  imperfect  record  of  conversation 
contains  the  whole  of  what  was  said  by  vlohnson,  or 
other  eminent  persons  who  lived  with  him.  What  1 
have  preserved,  however,  has  the  value  of  the  most 
perfect  authenticity. 

He  this  day  enlarged  upon  Pope's  melancholy  re- 
mark, 

"  Man  never  /V,  but  always  /o  he  blest." 

He  asserted,  that  f/te  present  was  never  a  happy  state 
to  any  human  being;  but  that,  as  every  part  of  life,  of 
which  we  are  conscious,  was  at  some  point  of  time  a 
period  yet  to  come,  in  which  felicity  was  expected, 
there  was  some  happiness  produced  by  hope,  lieing 
pressed   upon  this  subject,  and  asked  if  he  really  was 


i  Let  me  here  be  allowed  to  pay  my  tribute  of  most  sincere  platitude  lo  tit- 
memory  of  that  excellent  person,  my  intimacy  with  whom  was  the  more  valuable 
to  me,  because  my  first  acquaintance  with  him  was  unexpected  and  unsolicited. 
Soon  after  the  publication  of  my  "  Account  of  Corsica,"  he  did  me  the  honour  to 
call  on  me,  and  approaching  me  with  a  frank  courteous  air,  said, "  My  name,  Sir, 
is  Oglethorpe,  and  I  wish  to  be  acquainted  with  you."  I  was  not  a  little  flattered 
to  be  thus  addressed  by  an  eminent  man,  of  whom  I  had  read  in  Pope,  from  «iy 
early  years, 

"  Or,  driven  by  strong  benevolence  of  soul, 

"  Will  fly,  like  Oglethorpe,  from  pole  to  pole." 
(  was  fortunate  enough  to  bo  found  worthy  of  his  good  opinion,  insomuch,  that  i 
not  only  was  invited  to  make  one  in  the  many  respectable  companies  whom  he  en- 
tertained at  his  table,  but  had  a  cover  at  his  hospitahle  board  every  day  when  I 
happened  to  be  disengaged  ;  and  in  his  society  I  never  failed  to  enjoy  learned  and 
animated  conversation,  seasoned  ^^^th  genuin,e  sentiments  of  virtue  and  religioa 


174  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  of  opinion,  that  though,  in  general,  happiness  was  very 
'^      rare  in  human  life,  a   man  was  not  sometimes  happy 

in  the  moment  that  was  present,  he  answered,  "  Never, 

but  when  he  is  drunk." 

He  urged  General  Oglethorpe  to  give  the  world  his 

Life.     He  said,  "  I  know  no  man  whose  Life  would  be 

ijide  interesting.     If  1  were  furnished  with  materials, 

I  should  be  very  glad  to  write  it."^ 

Mr,  Scott  of  Amwell's  Elegies  were   lying  in  the 

room.     Dr.  Johnson   observed  "  They  are  very  well ; 

but  such  as  twenty  people  might  write."     Upon  this  I 

took  occasion  to  controvert  Horace's  maxim, 

mediocrihus  esse  poetis 


I    ''  Non  Di,  non  homines,  non  concessere  colamnce^* 

foi  here,  (I  observed,)  was  a  very  middle-rate  poet, 
wko  pleased  many  readers,  and  therefore  poetry  of  a 
middle  sort  was  entitled  to  some  esteem  ;  nor  could  I 
see  why  poetry  should  not,  like  every  thing  else,  have 
different  gradations  of  excellence,  and  consequently  of 
value.  Johnson  repeated  the  common  remark,  that 
"  as  there  is  no  necessity  for  our  having  poetry  at  all, 
it  being  merely  a  luxury,  an  instrument  of  pleasure,  it 
can  have  no  value,  unless  when  exquisite  in  its  kind." 
I  declared  myself  not  satisfied.  "Why,  then.  Sir,  (said 
Be,)  Horace  and  you  must  settle  it."  He  was  not  much 
in  the  humour  of  talking. 

No  more  of  his  conversation  for  some  days  appears 
in  my  journal,  except  that  when  a  gentleman  told  him 
he  had  bought  a  suit  of  lace  for  his  lady,  he  said,  "  Well, 
Sir,  you  have  done  a  good  thing  and  a  wise  thing." 
"  1  have  done  a  good  thing,  (said  the  gentleman,)  but 
I  do  not  know  that  1  have  done  a  wise  thing."  John- 
son. "  Yes,  Sir ;  no  money  is  better  spent  than  what 
is  laid  out  for  domestick  satisfaction.     K  man  is  pleased 

'  The  General  seemed  unwilling  to  enter  upon  it  at  this  time  ;  but  upon  a  sub- 
setjucnt  occasion  he  communicated  to  me  a  number  of  particulars,  which  I  Jiave 
committed  to  writing  ;  but  I  was  not  sufficiently  diligent  in  obtaining  more  from 
lum,  not  apprehending  that  his  friends  were  so  soon  to  lose  him  ;  for  notwithstand- 
ing his  great  age,  lie  was  very  healthy  and  vigorous,  and  was  at  last  carried  off  by 
a  riolent  fever,  which  is  often  fatal  at  any  period  of  life. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  175 

that  liis  wife  is  drest  as  well  as  other  people  ;  and  a  wife  1775. 
is  pleased  that  she  is  drest."  ^EiaT. 

On  Friday,  April  It,  being  Good-lMiday,  I  repaired  (io;. 
to  him  in  the  morning,  according  to  my  usual  custom 
on  that  day,  and  breakfasted  with  him.  1  observed 
that  he  fasted  so  very  strictly,  that  he  did  not  even  taste 
bread,  and  took  no  milk  with  his  tea;  1  suppose  he- 
cause  it  is  a  kind  of  animal  food. 

He  entered  upon  the  state  of  the  nation,  and  thus 
discoursed  :  "  Sir,  the  great  misfortune  now  is,  that  gov-  ' 
ernment  has  too  little  power.  All  that  it  has  to  bestow 
must  of  necessity  be  given  to  support  itself;  so  that  it 
cannot  reward  merit.  No  man,  for  instance,  can  now 
be  made  a  Bishop  for  his  learning  and  piety  ;^  his  only 
chance  for  promotion  is  his  being  connected  with  some- 
body who  has  parliamentary  interest.  Our  several  min- 
isters in  this  reign  have  out-bid  each  other  in  conces- 
sions to  the  people.  Jjord  Bute,  though  a  very  hon- 
ourable man, — a  man  who  meant  well, — a  man  who 
had  his  blood  full  of  prerogative, — was  a  theoretical 
statesman, — a  book-minister, — and  thought  this  coun- 
try could  be  governed  by  the  influence  of  the  Crown 
alone.  Then,  Sir,  he  gave  up  a  great  deal.  He  advis- 
ed the  King  to  agree  that  the  Judges  should  hold  their 
places  for  life,  instead  of  losing  them  at  the  accession 
of  a  new  King.  Lord  Bute,  \  suppose,  thought  to 
make  the  King  popular  by  this  concession  ;  but  the 
people  never  minded  it;  and  it  was  a  most  impolitick 
measure.  There  is  no  reason  why  a  Judge  should  hold 
his  office  for  life,  more  than  any  other  person  in  pub- 
lick  trust.  A  Judge  may  be  partial  otherwise  than  to 
the  Crown  :  we  have  seen  Judges  partial  to  the  popu- 
lace. A  Judge  may  become  corrupt,  and  yet  there 
may  not  be  legal  evidence  against  him.  A  Judge  may 
become  froward  from  age.  A  Judge  may  grow  unfit 
for  his  office  in  many  ways.  It  was  desirable  that  there 
should  be  a  possibility  of  being  delivered  from  him  by 
a  new  King.  That  is  now  gone  by  an  act  of  Parlia- 
ment ex  gralid  of  the  Crown.     Lord  Bute  advised  the 

'  From  this  too  just  observation  thwe  are  5ome  eminent  exception?. 


176  THE    LIFE    US 

1775.  King  to  give  up  a  very  large  sum  of  money,*  for  which 
^j^  nobody  thanked  him.  It  vi^as  of  consequence  to  the 
66.  King,  but  nothing  to  the  pubhck,  among  whom  it  was 
divided.  When  1  say  Lord  Bute  advised,  1  mean,  that 
Huch  acts  were  done  when  he  was  minister,  and  we  are 
to  suppose  that  he  advised  them. — Lord  Bute  shewed 
an  undue  partiahty  to  Scotchmen.  He  turned  out  Dr. 
Ts'ichols,,  a  very  eminent  man,  from  being  physician  to 
the  King,  to  make  room  for  one  of  his  countrym^-n,  a 
man  very  low  in  his  profession.  He  had  ********** 
and  ****  to  go  on  errands  for  him.  He  had  occasion 
for  people  to  go  on  errands  for  him  ;  but  he  should  not 
have  had  Scotchmen  ;  and,  certainly,  he  should  not 
have  suffered  them  to  have  access  to  him  before  the 
first  people  in  England.'* 

I  told  him,  that  the  admission  of  one  of  them  before 
the  first  people  in  England,  which  had  given  the  great- 
est otfence,  was  no  more  than  what  happens  at  every 
minister's  levee,  where  those  who  attend  are  admitted 
in  the  order  that  they  have  come,  which  is  better  than 
admitting  them  according  to  their  rank  ;  for  if  t^at  were 
to  be  the  rule,  a  man  who  has  waited  all  the  morning 
might  have  the  mortification  to  see  a  peer,  newly  come, 
go  in  before  him,  and  keep  him  waiting  still.  John- 
son. "  True,  Sir ;  but  ****  should  not  have  come  to 
I  he  levee,  to  be  in  the  way  of  people  of  consequence. 
He  saw  Lord  Bute  at  all  times;  and  could  have  said 
whatM^e  had  to  say  at  any  time,  as  well  as  at  the  levee. 
There  is  now  no  Prime  Minister  :  there  is  only  an  agent 
for  government  in  the  House  of  Commons.  We  are 
governed  by  the  Cabinet :  but  there  is  no  one  head 
there  since  Sir  Robert  Walpole's  time."     Boswell. 

^  The  money  arising  from  the  property  of  the  prizes  taken  before  the  declara- 
tion of  war,  which  were  given  to  his  Majesty  by  the  peace  of  Paris,  and  amounted  to 
upwards  of  700,0001.  and  from  the  lands  in  the  ceded  islands,  which  were  estimated 
at  200,0001.  more.  Surely,  there  was  a  noble  munificence  in  this  gift  from  a  Mon- 
arch to  his  people.  And  let  it  be  remembered,  that  during  the  Earl  of  Bute's  ad- 
ministration, the  King  was  graciously  pleased  to  give  up  the  hereditar}-  refenues 
of  the  Crown,  and  to  accept,  instead  of  them,  of  the  limited  sum  of  8'X),000l.  a 
year  ;  upon  which  Blackstone  observes,  that  "  The  hereditary  revenues,  being  put 
under  the  same  management  as  the  other  branches  of  the  publick  patrimony,  wilJ 
produce  more,  and  be  better  collected  than  heretofore  ;  and  the  publick  is  a  gainer 
of  upwards  of  100,0001.  fer  annum,  bv  this  disinterested  boiuity  of  his  Majesty. 
Book  I.  Chap.  viii.  p,  ftO." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  177 

**  What  then,  Sir,  is  the  use  of  Parliament?"     John-  >775. 
SON.     "  Why,  Sir,  ParHament  is  a  large  council  to  the  '^^ 
King;  and  the  advantage  of  such  a  council  is,  having 'otj.' 
a  great  number  of  men  of  property  concerned  in  the 
legislature,  who,  for  their  own  interest,  will  not  con- 
sent to  bad  laws.     And  you  must  have  observed,  Sir, 
the  administration  is  feeble  and  timid,  and  cannot  act 
with  that  authority  and  resolution  which  is  necessary. 
Were  1  in  power,  I   would  turn  out  every  man   who 
dared  to  oppose  me.     Government  has  the  distribution 
of  offices,  that  it  may  be  enabled  to  maintain  its  au- 
thority." 

"  Lord  Bute  (he  added,)  took  down  too  fast,  with- 
out building  up  something  new."  Boswell.  "  Be- 
cause, Sir,  he  found  a  rotten  building.  The  political 
coach  was  drawn  by  a  set  of  bad  horses  ;  it  was  neces- 
sary to  change  them."  Johnson.  "  But  he  should 
have  changed  them  one  by  one." 

I  told  him  that  1  had  been  informed  by  Mr.  Orme, 
that  many  parts  of  the  East-Indies  were  better  mapped 
than  the  Highlands  of  Scotland.  Johnson.  "  That  a 
country  may  be  mapped,  it  must  be  travelled  over." 
**  Nay,  (said  I,  meaning  to  laugh  with  him  at  one  of 
his  prejudices,)  can't  you  saj^  it  is  not  zaort/i  mapping!" 

As  we  walked  to  St.  Clement's  church,  and  saw 
several  shops  open  upon  this  most  solemn  fast-day  of 
the  Christian  world,  1  remarked,  that  one  disadvan- 
tage arising  from  the  immensity  of  London,  was,  that 
nobody  was  heeded  by  his  neighbour  ;  there  was  no 
fear  of  censure  for  not  observing  Good-Friday,  as  it 
ought  to  be  kept,  and  as  it  is  kept  in  country-towns. 
He  said,  it  was,  upon  the  whole,  very  well  observed 
even  in  London.  He  however,  owned,  that  London 
was  too  large  ;  but  added,  "  It  is  nonsense  to  say  the 
head  is  too  big  for  the  body.  It  would  be  as  much 
too  big,  though  the  body  were  ever  so  large  ;  that  is 
to  say,  though  the  country  were  ever  so  extensive.  It 
has  no  similarity  to  a  head  connected  with  a  body." 

Dr.  Wetherell,  Master  of  University  College,  Ox- 
ford, accompanied  us  home  from  church  ;  and  after  he 
was  gone,  there  came  two  other  gentlemen,  Qne  af 

VO|  .   IT.  -2'} 


17S  THE    LIFE    OP 

1775.  whom  uttered  the  common-place  complaints,  that  by 
the  increase  of  taxes,  labour  would  be  dear,  other  na- 
tions would  undersell  us,  and  our  commerce  would  be 
ruined.  Johnson,  (smiling.)  "  Never  fear,  Sir.  Our 
commerce  is  in  a  very  good  state  ;  and  suppose  we 
had  no  commerce  at  all,  we  could  live  very  well  on 
the  produce  of  our  own  country."  I  cannot  omit  to 
mention,  that  I  never  knew  any  man  who  was  less 
disposed  to  be  querulous  than  Johnson.  Whether 
the  subject  was  his  own  situation,  or  the  state  of  the 
publick,  or  the  state  of  human  nature  in  general, 
though  he  saw  the  evils,  his  mind  was  turned  to  reso- 
lution, and  never  to  whining  or  complaint. 

We  went  again  to  St.  Clement's  in  the  afternoon. 
He  had  found  fault  with  the  preacher  in  the  morning 
for  not  choosing  a  text  adapted  to  the  day.  The 
preacher  in  the  afternoon  had  chosen  one  extremely 
proper  :  "  It  is  finished." 

After  the  evening  service,  he  said,  "  Come,  you 
shall  go  home  with  me,  and  sit  just  an  hour."  But 
he  was  better  than  hi;*  word  ;  for  after  we  had  drunk 
tea  with  Mrs.  Williams,  he  asked  me  to  go  up  to  his 
study  with  him,  where  we  sat  a  long  while  together 
in  a  serene  undisturbed  frame  of  mind,  sometimes  in 
silence,  and  sometimes  conversing,  as  we  felt  ourselves 
inclined,  or  more  properly  speaking,  as  he  was  inclin- 
ed ;  for  during  all  the  course  of  my  long  intimacy 
with  him,  my  respectful  attention  never  abated,  and 
my  wish  to  hear  him  was  such,  that  I  constantly 
watched  every  dawning  of  communication  front  that 
ffreat  and  illuminated  mind. 

o 

He  observed,  "  All  knowledge  is  of  itself  of  some 
value.  I'here  is  nothing  so  minute  or  inconsiderable, 
that  1  would  not  rather  know  it  than  not.  In  the 
same  manner,  all  power,  of  whatever  sort,  is  of  itself 
desirable.  A  man  would  not  submit  to  learn  to  hem 
a  ruffle,  of  his  wife,  or  his  wife's  maid  ;  but  if  a  mere 
wish  could  attain  it  he  would  rather  wish  to  be  able  to 
iiem  a  ruffle." 

He  again  advised  me  to  keep  a  journal  fully  and 
minutely,  but  not  to  mention  such  trifles  as,  that  meat 


DR.    JOHNSON.  17') 

was  too   much  or  too  little  done,  or  that  the  weather  i77>- 
was  fair  or  rainy.     He  had,  till  very  near  his  death,  a  ^(^ 
contempt   for  the  notion  that   the  weather  affects  the   (its. 
human  frame. 

1  told  him  that  our  friend  Goldsmith  had  said  to 
me  that  he  had  come  too  late  into  the  world,  for  that 
Pope  and  other  poets  had  taken  up  the  places  in  the 
Temple  of  Fame  ;  so  that  as  but  a  few  at  any  period 
can  possess  poetical  reputation,  a  man  of  genius  can 
now  hardly  acquire  it.  Johnson.  "  That  is  one  of 
the  most  sensible  things  I  have  ever  heard  of  Gold- 
smith. It  is  difficult  to  get  literary  fiime,  and  it  is 
every  day  growing  more  difficult.  Ah,  Sir,  that  should  ' 
make  a  man  think  of  securing  happiness  in  another 
world,  which  all  who  try  sincerely  for  it  may  attain. 
In  comparison  of  that,  how  little  are  all  other  things  ! 
The  belief  of  immortality  is  impressed  upon  all  men, 
and  all  men  act  under  an  impression  of  it,  however 
they  may  talk,  and  though,  perhaps,  they  may  be 
scarcely  sensible  of  it."  1  said,  it  appeared  to  me  that 
some  people  had  not  the  least  notion  of  immortality  ; 
and  I  mentioned  a  distinguished  gentleman  of  our  ac- 
quaintance. Johnson.  "  Sir,  if  it  were  not  for  the 
notion  of  immortality,  he  would  cut  a  throat  to  fill  his 
pockets."  When  1  quoted  this  to  Beauclerk,  who 
knew  much  more  of  the  gentleman  than  we  did,  he 
said,  in  his  acid  manner,  "  He  would  cut  a  throat  to 
fill  his  pockets,  if  it  were  not  for  fear  of  being  hang- 
ed." 

Dr.  Johnson  proceeded  :  "  Sir,  there  is  a  great  cry 
about  infidelity  :  but  there  are,  in  reality,  very  few 
infidels.  1  have  heard  a  person,  originally  a  Quaker, 
but  now,  I  am  afraid,  a  Deist,  say,  that  he  did  not  be- 
lieve there  were,  in  all  England,  above  two  hundred 
infidels." 

He  was  pleased  to  say,   "  If  you  come  to  settle.; 
here,  we  will  have  one  day  in  the  week  on  which  wo 
will  meet  by  ourselves.     That  is  the  happiest  conver-  \ 
sation  where  there  is  no  competition,  no  vanity,  but  -dj 
calm  quiet  interchange  of  sentiments."      In   his  pri-^ — ' 
vate  register  this  evening  is  thus  marked,  "  IJoswell 


ISU  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  sat  with  me  till  night  ;  we  had  some  serious  talk/^^ 
^^  It  also  appears  from  the  same  record,  that  after  1  left 
CO.  him  he  was  occupied  in  religious  duties,  in  "  giving 
Francis,  his  servant,  some  directions  for  preparation  to 
communicate  ;  in  reviewing  his  life,  and  resolving  on 
better  conduct."  The  humility  and  piety  which  he 
discovers  on  such  occasions,  is  truely  edifying.  No 
saint,  however,  in  the  course  of  his  religious  warfare, 
was  more  sensible  of  the  unhappy  failure  of  pious  re- 
solves, than  Johnson.  He  said  one  day,  talking  to  an 
acquaintance  on  this  subject,  "  Sir,  Hell  is  paved  with 
good  intentions."' 

On  Sunday,  April  16,  being  Easter-day,  after  having^ 
attended  the  solemn  service  at  St.  Paul's,  1  dined  with 
Dr.  Johnson  and  Mrs.  Williams.  I  maintained  that 
Horace  was  wrong  in  placing  happiness  in  Nii ad?mran, 
for  that  I  thought  admiration  one  of  the  most  agreeable  of 
all  our  feelings  ;  and  I  regretted  that  1  had  lost  much 
of  my  disposition  to  admire,  which  people  generall}^  do 
as  they  advance  in  life.  Johnsox.  "  Sir,  as  a  man  ad- 
vances in  life,  begets  what  is  better  than  admiration, — • 
judgement,  to  estimate  things  at  their  true  value."  I 
still  insisted  that  admiration  was  more  pleasing  than 
Judgement,  as  love  is  more  pleasing  than  friendship. 
rFhe  feeling  of  friendship  is  like  that  of  being  comforta- 
A  bly  filled  with  roasted  beef;  love,  like  being  enlivened 
Svith  champagne.  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir  ;  admiration 
and  love  are  like  being  intoxicated  with  champagne  ; 
judgement  and  friendship  like  being  enlivened.  Wall- 
er has  hit  upon  the  same  thought  with  you  :*  but  I 
don't  believe  you  have  borrowed  from  Waller.  I  wish 
you  would  enable  yourself  to  borrow  more." 

'Prayers  and  Meditations,  p.  138. 

'  [This  is  a  proverbial  sentence.     "  Hell  (says  Herbert)  is  full  of  good  meaning* 
and  -vvishings."     Jacula  Prddenti'm,  p.  11.  edit.  1651.     M.] 

2  "  Amcret  !  as  sweet  and  good 
"  As  the  most  delicious  food  ; 
"  Which  but  tasted  does  impart 
"  Life  and  gladness  to  the  heart. 
"  Sacharissa's  beauty's  wine, 
"  Which  to  madness  does  incline ; 
"  Such  a  hijour  as  no  brain 
'  That  is  mortal  can  sustain."" 


DR.    JOHNSON.  IS  I 

He  then  took  occasion  to  enlarge  on  the  advantages  ^775. 
of  reading,   and  combated  the  idle  superficial  notion,  ^^^ 
that  knowledge  enough  may  be  acquired  in  conversa-    gg. 
tion.     "  The  foundation  (said  he)  must  be  laid  by  read- 
ins:.     General   principles    must    be    had    from   books, 
which,  however,  must  be  brought  to  the   test  of  real 
life.     In  conversation  you  never  get  a  system.     What 
is  said  upon  a  subject  is  to  be  gathered  from  a  hundred 
people.     The  parts  of  a  truth,  which  a  man  gets  thus, 
are  at  such  a  distance  from  each  other  that  he  never  at- 
tains to  a  full  view." 

"  TO  BENNET  LANGTON,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  enquired  more  minutely  about  the  med- 
icine for  the  rheumatism,  which  1  am  sorry  to  hear  that 
you  still  want.     The  receipt  is  this  : 

"  Take  equal  quantities  of  flour  of  sulphur,  and^^our 
of  mustard-seed,  make  them  an  electuary  with  honey 
or  treacle  ;  and  take  a  bolus  as  big  as  a  nutmeg  several 
times  a  day,  as  you  can  bear  it  :  drinking  after  it  a 
quarter  of  a  pint  of  the  infusion  of  the  root  of  Lovage. 

"  Lovage,  in  Ray's  '  Nomenclature,'  is  Levisticum  : 
perhaps  the  Botanists  may  know  the  Latin  name. 

"  Of  this  medicine  1  pretend  not  to  judge.  There  is 
all  the  appearance  of  its  efficacy,  which  a  single  in- 
stance can  afford  :  the  patient  was  very  old,  the  pain 
very  violent,  and  the  relief,  1  think  speedy  and  lasting. 

"  My  opinon  of  alterative  medicine  is  not  high,  but 
quid  tentasse  nocebii  !  if  it  does  harm,  or  does  no  good, 
it  may  be  omitted  ;  but  that  it  may  do  good,  you  have, 
I  hope,  reason  to  think  is  desired  by,  Sir,  your  most  af- 
fectionate, 

•'  Humble  servant, 

"  April  17,  1775.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

On  Tuesday,  April  11,  he  and  I  were  engaged  to  go 
with  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  to  dine  with  Mr.  Cambridge, 
at  his  beautiful  villa  on  the  banks  of  the  Thames,  near 
Twickenham.     Dr.  Johnson's  tardiness  was  such,  that 


182  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  Sir  Joshua,  who  had  an  appointment  at  Richmond,  ear- 

^^  ly  in  the  day,  was  obhged  to  go  by  himself  on  horse- 

66.    back,  leaving  his  coach  to  Johnson  and  me.     Johnson 

was  in  such  good  spirits,  that  every   thing  seemed  to 

please  him  as  we  drove  along. 

Our  conversation  turned   on  a  variety  of  subjects. 
He  thought  portrait-painting  an  improper  employment 
1  for  a  Avoman.     "  Publick  practice  of  any  art,  (he  ob- 
1  served,)  and  staring  in  men's  faces,  is  very  indelicate  in 
'  a  female."     I   happened  to  start  a  question,  whether 
when  a  man  knows  that  some  of  his   intimate  friends 
are  invited  to  the  house  of  another  friend,  with  whom 
they  are  all  equally  intimate,  he  may  join  them  without 
an  invitation,     Johnson.    "  No,  Sir  ;  he  is  not  to  go 
when  he  is  not  invited.     They  may  be  invited  on  pur- 
pose to  abuse  him."     (smiling). 

As  a  curious  instance  how  little  a  man  knows,  or 
wishes  to  know,  his  own  character  in  the  world,  or, 
rather  as  a  convincing  proof  that  Johnson's  roughness 
was  only  external,  and  did  not  proceed  from  his  heart, 
I  insert  the  following  dialogue.  Johnson.  "  It  is  won- 
derful. Sir,  how  rare  a  quality  good  humour  is  in  life. 
We  meet  with  very  few  good  humoured  men."  I  men- 
tioned four  of  our  friends,  none  of  whom  he  would  al- 
low to  be  good  humoured.  One  was  acid,  another  was 
muddij,  and  to  the  others  he  had  objections  which  have 
escaped  me.  Then,  shaking  his  head  and  stretching 
himself  at  ease  in  the  coach,  and  smiling  with  much 
complacency,  he  turned  to  me  and  said,  "  I  look  upon 
myself  2i%  a  good  humoured  fellow."  The  epithety^- 
low,  applied  to  the  great  Lexicographer,  the  stately  Mo- 
ralist, the  masterl}'^  Critick,  as  if  he  had  been  Sam 
Johnson,  a  mere  pleasant  companion,  was  highly  di- 
verting ;  and  this  light  notion  of  himself  struck  me  with 
wonder.  I  answered,  also  smiling,  "  No,  no.  Sir  ;  that 
will  not  do.  You  are  good  natured,  but  not  good  hu- 
moured :  you  are  irascible.  You  have  not  patience 
with  folly  and  absurdity.  1  believe  you  would  pardon 
them,  if  there  were  time  to  deprecate  your  vengeance  ; 
but  punishment  follows  so  quick  after  sentence,  that 
they  cannot  escape." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  183 

I  had  brought  with  me  a  great  bundle  of  Scotch  mag-  >  775. 
azines  and  news-papers,  in  which  his  "  Journey  to  the  J^^ 
M^estern  Islands"  was  attacked  in  every  mode  ;  and  1   oo". 
read  a  great  part  of  them  to  him,  knowing  they  would 
aflford  him  entertainment.     I  wish  the  writers  of  them 
had  been  present  :  they  would  have  been  sulficiently 
vexed.     One  ludicrous  imitation   of  his  style,  by  Mr. 
Maclaurin,  now  one  of  the  Scotch  Judges,  with  the  ti- 
tle of  Lord  Dreghorn,  was  distinguished  by  him  from 
the  rude  mass.     "  This  (said  he,)   is  the  best.     But  I 
could  caricature  my  own   style  much  better  myself." 
He  defended  his  remark  upon  the  general  insutticiency 
of  education  in  Scotland  ;  and  confirmed  to  me  the  au- , 
thenticity  of  his    witty  saying  on   the  learning  of  the  \ 
Scotch  ; — "  Their  learning  is  like  bread    in  a  besieged  • 
town  :  every  man  gets  a  little,  but  no  man  gets  a  full 
meal."     "  There  is,  (said  he,)  in  Scotland  a  diffusion  of 
learning,  a  certain  portion   of  it   widely   and    thinly 
spread.     A  merchant  has  as  much  learning  as  one  of 
their  clergy." 

He  talked  of  Isaac  Walton's  Lives,  which  was  one 
of  his  most  favourite  books.  Dr.  Donne's  Life,  he 
said,  was  the  most  perfect  of  them.  He  observed,  that 
"  it  was  wonderful  that  Walton,  who  was  in  a  very  low 
situation  in  life,  should  have  been  familiarly  received 
by  so  many  great  men,  and  that  at  a  time  when  the 
ranks  of  society  were  kept  more  separate  than  they  are 
now."  He  supposed  that  Walton  had  then  given  up 
his  business  as  a  linen-draper  and  sempster,  and  was 
only  an  authour;^  and  added,  "that  he  was  a  great 
panegyrist."  Boswell.  "  No  quality  will  get  a  man 
more  friends  than  a  disposition  to  admire  the  qualities 
of  others.  1  do  not  mean  flattery,  but  a  sincere  admi- 
ration." Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  flattery  pleases  very 
generally.  In  the  first  place,  the  flatterer  may  think 
what  he  says  to  be  true :  but,  in  the  second  place, 

^  [Johnson's  conjecture  was  erroneous.  Walton  did  not  retire  from  buisness  till 
1643.  But  in  16G4  Dr.  King,  Bishop  of  Chichester,  in  a  letter  prefixed  to  his 
Lives,  mentions  his  having  been  familiarly  acquainted  witli  him  for  forty  years  : 
and  in  1631  he  was  so  intimaie  with  Dr.  Donne,  that  he  was  one  of  the  friends  who 
attended  him  on  his  death  bed.     J.  B.— O.j 


184  fHE    LIFE    Oif 

1775.  whether  he  thinks  so  or  not,  he  certainly  thinks  those 
whom  he  flatters  of  consequen'ce  enough  to  be  flat- 
tered." 

No  sooner  had  we  made  our  bow  to  Mr.  Cambridge, 
in  his  library,  than  Johnson  ran  eagerly  to  one  side  of 
the  room,  intent  on  poring  over  the  backs  of  the  books.* 
Sir  Joshua  observed,  (aside,)  "  He  runs  to  the  books 
as  I  do  to  the  pictures :  but  1  have  the  advantage.  I 
can  see  much  more  of  the  pictures  than  he  can  of  the 
books."  Mr.  Cambridge,  upon  this,  politely  said, 
"  Dr.  Johnson,  1  am  going,  with  your  pardon,  to  ac- 
cuse myself,  for  1  have  the  same  custom  which  I  per- 
ceive you  have.  But  it  seems  odd  that  one  should  have 
such  a  desire  to  look  at  the  backs  of  books."  Johnson, 
ever  ready  for  contest,  instantly  started  from  his  reve- 
rie, wheeled  about  and  answered,  "  Sir,  the  reason  is 
very  plain.  Knowledge  is  of  two  kinds.  We  know  a 
subject  ourselves,  or  we  know  where  we  can  find  in- 
formation upon  it.  When  we  enquire  into  any  subject, 
the  first  thing  we  have  to  do  is  to  know  what  books 
have  treated  of  it.  This  leads  us  to  look  at  catalogues, 
and  the  backs  of  books  in  libraries.  Sir  Joshua  observ- 
ed to  me  the  extraordinary  promptitude  with  which 
Johnson  flew  upon  an  argument.  "  Yes,  (said  1,)  he 
has  no  formal  preparation,  no  flourishing  with  his  sword  ; 
he  is  through  your  body  in  an  instant." 

Johnson  was  here  solaced  with  an  elegant  entertain- 
ment, a  very  accomplished  family  and  much  good  com- 
pany ;  among  whom  was  Mr.  Harris  of  Salisbury,  who 
paid  him  many  compliments  on  his  "  Journey  to  the 
Western  Islands." 

The  common  remark  as  to  the  utility  of  reading  his- 
tory being  made; — Johnson.  "We  must  consider 
how  very  little  history  there  is  ;  I  mean  real  authentick 
history.  That  certain  Kings  reigned,  and  certain  bat- 
tles were  fought,  we  can  depend  upon  as  true ;  but  all 

■•  [The  first  time  he  dined  with  me,  he  was  shewn  into  my  book  room,  and  in- 
stantly pored  over  the  lettering  of  each  volume  within  his  reach.  My  collection 
of  book?  is  very  miscellaneous,  and  I  feared  there  might  be  some  among  them  that 
he  would  not  like.  But  seeing  the  number  of  volumes  very  considerable,  he  said, 
"  You  are  an  hoaejt  mao,  to  have  formed  so  great  an  accumulation  «f  knowledge." 


DR.    JOHNSO!*.  186 

the  colourinc:,  all  the  philosophy  of  history  is  conjee-  i775. 
ture."     HoswELL.  "  Then,  Sir,  you  would  reduce  nil  ^{^ 
history  to  no  better  than  an  almanack,  a  mere  chrono- '  ij,]_ 
logical  series  of  remarkable  events."     Mr.  (Jibbon,  who 
nuist  at  that  time  have  been  employed  upon  his  histo- 
ry, of  which  he  published  the  first  volume  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  was  present ;  but  did  not  step  forth  in  de- 
fence of  that  species  of  writing.     He  probably  did  not 
like  to  frttsf  himself  with  Johnson  U 

Johnson  observed,  that  the  force  of  our  early  habits 
was  so  great,  that  though  reason  approved,  nay,  though  ' 
our  senses  relished  a  ditlerent  course,  almost  every  man, 
returned  to  them.  1  do  not  believe  there  is  any  observ- 
ation upon  human  nature  better  founded  than  this  ;  and 
in  many  cases,  it  is  a  very  painful  truth  ;  for  where  ear- 
ly habits  have  been  mean  and  wretched,  the  joy  and 
elevation  resulting  from  better  modes  of  life,  must  be 
damped  by  the  gloomy  consciousness  of  being  under 
an  almost  inevitable  doom  to  sink  back  into  a  situation 
which  we  recollect  with  disgust.  It  surely  may  be  pre- 
vented, by  constant  attention  and  unremitting  exertion 
to  establish  contrary  habits  of  superiour  efficacy. 

"  The  Beggar's  Opera,"  and  the  common  question, 
whether  it  was  pernicious  in  its  effects,  having  been  in- 
troduced ; — Johnson.  "  As  to  this  matter,  which  has 
been  very  much  contested,  1  myself  am  of  opinion,  that 
more  influence  has  been  ascribed  to  '  The  Beggar's 
Opera,'  than  it  in  reality  ever  had  ;  for  I  do  not  believe 
that  any  man  was  ever  made  a  rogue  by  being  present 
at  its  representation.  At  the  same  time  I  do  not  deny 
that  it  may  have  some  influence,  by  making  the  charac- 
ter of  a  rogue  familiar,  and  in  some  degree  pleasing.""^' 

•>  See  p.  171. 

*  A  very  eminent  physician,  whose  discernment  is  a6  acute  and  penetrating:  in 
judging  of  the  human  character  as  it  is  in  liis  own  profession,  remarked  once  at  a 
club  where  I  was,  tiiat  a  lively  young  man,  fond  of  pleasure,  and  without  money, 
would  hardly  resist  a  soHcitation  from  his  mistress  to  go  upon  the  highway,  imme- 
diately after  being  present  at  the  representation  of  "  The  Beggar's  Opera."  i  have 
been  told  of  an  ingenious  observation  by  Mr.  Gibbon,  that  "  The  Beggar's  Opera 
may,  perhaps,  have  sometimes  increased  the  number  of  highwaymen  ;  but  that  it 
has  had  a  beneficial  efTect  in  refining  that  class  of  men,  making  them  less  ferocious, 
more  poHte,  in  short,  more  like  gentlemen."  Upon  this  Mr.  Cotirtenay  said,  that 
"  Gay  was  the  Orpheus  of  highwaymen." 

VOL.  II.  9  + 


186  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  Then  collecting  himself,  as  it  were,  to  give  a  heavy 
^[^  stroke  :  "  There  is  in  it  such  a  labefactation  of  all  prin- 
66.    ciples,  as  may  be  injurious  to  morality." 

V¥hile  he  pronounced  this  response,  we  sat  in  a  com- 
ical sort  of  restraint,  smothering  a  laugh,  which  we 
were  afraid  might  burst  out.  In  his  life  of  Gay,  he  has 
been  still  more  decisive  as  to  the  inefficiency  of  "  The 
Beggar's  Opera"  in  corrupting  society.  But  I  have 
ever  thought  somewhat  differentl}^ ;  for,  indeed,  not 
only  are  the  gaiety  and  heroism  of  a  highwayman  very 
captivating  to  a  youthful  imagination,  but  the  argu- 
ments for  adventurous  depredation  are  so  plausible,  the 
allusions  so  lively,  and  the  contrasts  with  the  ordinary 
and  more  painful  modes  of  acquiring  property  are  so 
artfully  displayed,  that  it  requires  a  cool  and  strong 
judgement  to  resist  so  imposing  an  aggregate :  yet,  I 
own,  i  should  be  very  sorry  to  have  "  The  Beggar's  Op- 
era'^ suppressed  ;  for  there  is  in  it  so  much  of  real  Lon- 
don life,  so  much  brilliant  wit,  and  such  a  variety  of 
airs,  which,  from  early  association  of  ideas,  engage, 
soothe,  and  enliven  the  mind,  that  no  performance 
which  the  theatre  exhibits,  delights  me  more. 

The  late  "  zcorthij''^  Duke  of  Queensberry,  as  Thom- 
son, in  his  "  Seasons,'^  justly  characterizes  him,  told 
me,  that  when  Gay  shewed  him  "  The  Beggar's  Ope- 
ra,'^ his  Grace's  observation  was,  "  This  is  a  very  odd 
thing,  Gay  ;  I  am  satisfied  that  it  is  either  a  very  good 
thing,  or  a  very  bad  thing."  It  proved  the  former,  be- 
yond the  warmest  expectations  of  the  authour  or  his 
friends.  Mr.  Cambridge,  however  shewed  us  to-day, 
that  there  was  good  reason  enough  to  doubt  concerning 
its  success.  He  was  told  by  Quin,  that  during  the 
first  night  of  its  appearance  it  was  long  in  a  very  dubi- 
ous state  ;  that  there  was  a  disposition  to  damn  it,  and 
that  it  was  saved  by  the  song, 

"  Oh  ponder  well !  be  not  severe  ?" 

the  audience  being  much  affected  by  the  innocent  looks 
of  Polly,  when  she  came  to  those  two  lines,  which  ex- 
hibit at  once  a  painful  and  ridiculous  image, 


DR.    JOHNSON.  187 

"  For  on  the  rope  that  liangs  my  Dear,  177-3. 

"  Depentls  poor  Folly's  life.''  ^•'^' 

(Hi. 
Qiiin  himself  had  so  bad  an  opinion  of  it,  that  he  refus- 
ed the  part  of  Captain  Alacheath,  and  gave  it  to  AVaik- 
er,  who  acciuired  great  celebrity  by  his  grave  yet  animat- 
ed performance  of  it. 

We  talked  of  a  young  gentleman's  marriage  with  an 
eminent  singer,  and  his  determination  that  she  siiould 
no  longer  sing  in  publick,  though  his  father  was  very 
earnest  she  should,  because  her  talents  would  be  libe- 
rally rewarded,  so  as  to  make  her  a  good  fortune.  It 
was  questioned  whether  the  young  gentleman  who  had 
not  a  shilling:  in  the  world,  but  was  blest  with  very  un- 
common  talents,  was  not  foolishly  delicate,  or  foolishly 
proud,  and  his  father  truly  rational  without  being  mean. 
Johnson,  with  all  the  high  spirit  of  a  Uoman  senator, 
exclaimed,  "  He  resolved  wisely  and  nobly  to  be  sure. 
He  is  a  brave  man.  Would  not  a  gentleman  be  disgrac- 
ed by  having  his  wife  singing  publickly  for  hire  ?  No, 
Sir,  there  can  be  no  doubt  here.  1  know  not  if  1  should 
not  prepare  myself  for  a  publick  singer,  as  readily  as 
let  my  wife  be  one." 

Johnson  arraigned  the  modern  politicks  of  this  coun- 
try, as  entirely  devoid  of  all  principle  of  whatever 
kind.  "  Politicks  (said  he)  are  now  nothing  more  than 
means  of  rising  in  the  world.  With  this  sole  view  do 
men  engage  in  politicks,  and  their  whole  conduct  pro- 
ceeds upon  it.  How  different  in  that  respect  is  the 
state  of  the  nation  now  from  what  it  was  in  the  time  of 
Charles  the  First,  during  the  Usurpation,  and  after  the 
Restoration,  in  the  time  of  Charles  the  Second.  JIu- 
dibras  affords  a  strong  proof  how  much  hold  political 
principles  had  then  upon  the  minds  of  men.  There  is 
in  Hudibras  a  great  deal  of  bullion  which  will  always 
last.  But  to  be  sure  the  brightest  strokes  of  his  wit 
owed  their  force  to  the  impression  of  the  characters, 
which  was  upon  men's  minds  at  the  time  ;  to  their 
knowing  them,  at  table  and  in  the  street ;  in  short,  be- 
ing familiar  with  them  ;  and  above  all,  to  his  satire  be- 
ing directed  against  those  whom  a  little  while  before 


iSS  THE    LIFE    OP 

1775.  they  had  hated  and  feared.  The  nation  in  general  has 
^^'^  ever  been  loyal,  has  been  at  all  times  attached  to  the 
66.  *  monarch,  though  a  few  daring  rebels  have  been  wonder- 
fully powerful  for  a  time.  The  murder  of  Charles  the 
First  was  undoubtedly  not  committed  with  the  appro- 
bation or  consent  of  the  people.  Had  that  been  the 
case,  Parliament  would  not  have  ventured  to  consign 
the  regicides  to  their  deserved  punishment.  And  we 
know  what  exuberance  of  joy  there  was  when  Charles 
the  Second  was  restored.  If  Charles  the  Second  had 
bent  all  his  mind  to  it,  had  made  it  his  sole  object,  he 
might  have  been  as  absolute  as  Louis  the  Fourteenih.^^ 
A  gentleman  observed  he  would  have  done  no  harm  if 
he  had.  Johnson.  '^  Why,  Sir,  absolute  princes  sel- 
dom do  any  harm.  But  they  who  are  governed  by 
them  are  governed  by  chance.  There  is  no  security  for 
good  government."  Cambridge.  "  There  have  been 
many  sad  victims  to  absolute  governujent."  Johnson. 
"  So,  Sir,  have  there  been  to  popular  factions."  Bos- 
well.  "  The  question  is,  which  is  worst,  one  wild 
beast  or  many  ?" 

Johnson  praised  "  The  Spectator,"  particularly  the 
character  of  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley.  lie  said,  "  Sir 
Eoger  did  not  die  a  violent  death,  as  has  been  generally 
fancied.  He  was  not  killed  ;  he  died  only  because 
others  were  to  die,  and  because  his  death  atforded  an 
opportunity  to  Addison  for  some  very  fine  writing. 
We  have  the  example  of  Cervantes  making  Uon  Quix- 
ote die. — I  never  could  see  why  Sir  Roger  is  represent- 
ed as  a  little  cracked.  It  appears  to  me  that  the  story 
of  the  widow  was  intended  to  have  something  superin- 
duced upon  it ;  but  the  superstructure  did  not  come." 
Somebody  found  fault  with  writing  verses  in  a  dead 
language,  maintaining  that  they  were  merely  arrange- 
ments of  so  many  words,  and  laughed  at  the  Universi- 
ties of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  for  sending  forth  collec- 
tions of  them  not  only  in  Greek  and  Latin,  but  even  in 
Syriack,  Arabick,  and  other  more  unknown  tongues. 
Johnson.  "  I  would  have  as  many  of  these  as  possi- 
ble ;  I  would  have  verses  in  every  language  that  there 
are  the  means  of  acquiring.     Isobody  imagines  that  an 


DR.    JOHNSON,  1S9 

University  is  to  have  at  once  two  hundred  poets;  hut  '775. 
it  should  be  able  to  shew  two  hundred  scholars.  Pie- 
resc's  death  was  lamented,  I  think,  in  forty  languages. 
And  1  would  have  had  at  every  coronation,  and  every 
death  of  a  king,  every  Guudium^  and  every  Lucius^  Uni- 
versity-verses, in  as  many  languages  as  can  be  acquired. 
1  would  have  the  world  to  be  thus  told,  '-  Here  is  a 
school  where  every  thing  may  be  learnt." 

Having  set  out  next  day  on  a  visit  to  the  Earl  of* 
Pembroke,  at  Wilton,  and  to  my  friend,  Mr.  Temple,' 
at  Mamhead,  in  Devonshire,  and  not  having  returned 
to  town  till  the  second  of  Ma}^  I  did  not  see  Dr.  John- 
son for  a  considerable  time,  and  during  the  remaining 
part  of  my  stay  in  London,  kept  very  imperfect  notes  of 
his  conversation,  which  had  1  according  to  my  usual 
custom  written  out  at  large  soon  after  the  time,  much 
might  have  been  preserved,  which  is  now  irretrievably 
lost.  1  can  now  only  record  some  particular  scenes, 
and  a  few  fragments  of  his  memorahiliu.  But  to  make 
some  amends  for  my  relaxation  of  diligence  in  one  re- 
spect, 1  have  to  present  my  readers  with  arguments 
upon  two  law  cases,  with  which  he  favoured  me. 

On  Saturday,  the  sixth  of  May,  we  dined  by  our- 
selves at  the  Mitre,  and  he  dictated  to  me  what  follows, 
to  obviate  the  complaint  already  mentioned, »  which  had 
been  made  in  the  form  of  an  action  in  the  Court  of 
Session,  by  Dr.  Memis,  of  Aberdeen,  that  in  the  same 
translation  of  a  charter  in  which  physicians  were  men- 
tioned, he  was  called  Doctor  oj'  Medicine. 

"  There  are  but  two  reasons  for  which  a  physician 
can  decline  the  title  of  Doctor  of  Medicine^  because  he 
supposes  himself  disgraced  by  the  doctorship,  or  sup- 
poses the  doctorship  disgraced  by  himself.  To  be  dis- 
graced by  a  title  which  he  shares  in  common  with  every 
illustrious  name  of  his  profession,  with  Boerhaave,  with 
Arbuthnot,  and  with  Cullen,  can  surely  diminish  no 
man's  reputation.  It  is,  1  suppose,  to  the  doctorate, 
from  which  he  shrinks,  that  he  owes  his  right  of  prac- 
tising physick.     A  doctor  of  Medicine  is  a  physician 

'  Page  149.  "  Page  J  27. 


190  THE    LIFE    OF 

*775.  under  the  protection  of  the  laws,  and  by  the  stamp  of 
Sat!  ^^ithority.  The  physician  who  is  not  a  Doctor,  usurps 
m.  a  profession,  and  is  authorized  only  by  himself  to  decide 
upon  health  and  sickness,  and  life  and  death.  That 
this  gentleman  is  a  Doctor,  his  diploma  makes  evident ; 
a  diploma  not  obtruded  upon  him,  but  obtained  by  so- 
Hcitation,  and  for  which  fees  were  paid.  With  what 
countenance  any  man  can  refuse  the  title  which  he  has 
either  begged  or  bought,  is  not  easily  discovered. 

"  All  verbal  injury  must  comprise  in  it  either  some 
false  position,  or  some  unnecessary  declaration  of  de- 
famatory truth.  That  in  calling  him  Doctor,  a  false  ap- 
pellation was  given  him,  he  himself  will  not  pretend, 
Avho  at  the  same  time  that  he  complains  of  the  title, 
would  be  offended  if  we  supposed  him  to  be  not  a  Doc- 
tor. If  the  title  of  Doctor  be  a  defamatory  truth,  it  is 
time  to  dissolve  our  colleges  ;  for  why  should  the  publick 
give  salaries  to  men  whose  approbation  is  reproach  ?  It 
may  likewise  deserve  the  notice  of  the  publick  to  con- 
sider what  help  can  be  given  to  the  professors  of  physick, 
who  all  share  with  this  unhappy  gentleman  the  igno- 
minious appellation,  and  of  whom  the  very  boys  in  the 
street  are  not  afraid  to  say.  There  goes  the  Doctor. 

"  What  is  implied  by  the  term  Doctor  is  well  known. 
It  distinguishes  him  to  whom  it  is  granted,  as  a  man 
who  has  attained  such  knowledge  of  his  profession  as 
qualifies  him  to  instruct  others.  A  Doctor  of  Laws 
is  a  man  who  can  form  lawyers  by  his  precepts.  A 
Doctor  of  Medicine  is  a  man  who  can  teach  the  art  of 
curing  diseases.  This  is  an  old  axiom  which  no  man 
has  yet  thought  fit  to  deny.  Nil  dat  quod  non  hahet. 
Upon  this  principle  to  be  Doctor  implies  skill,  for  nemo 
docet  quod  non  didicit.  In  England,  whoever  practises 
physick,  not  being  a  Doctor,  must  practise  by  a  licence  : 
but  the  doctorate  conveys  a  licence  in  itself. 

"  By  what  accident  it  happened  that  he  and  the  oth- 
er physicians  were  mentioned  in  diftbrent  terms,  where 
the  terms  themselves  were  equivalent,  or  where  in  etfect 
that  which  was  applied  to  him  was  the  most  honoura- 
ble, perhaps  they  who  wrote  the  paper  cannot  now  re- 
member.    Had  they  expected  a  lawsuit  to  have  been 


DR.    JOHNSON.  19  1 

the  consequence  of  such  petty  variation,  I  hope  they  1775. 
would  have  avoided  it.'     But,  probably,  as  they  meant  ^j^J^* 
no  ill,  they  suspected  no  danger,  and,  therefore,  con-    uG. 
suited  only  what  appeared  to  them   propriety  or  con- 
venience." 

A  few  days  afterwards, !  consulted  him  upon  a  cause, 
Patersoit  ami  ot/icrs  against  Alexander  and  others^ 
which  had  been  decided  by  a  casting  vote  in  the  Court 
of  Session,  determining  that  the  Corporation  of  Stirhng 
was  corrupt,  and  setting  aside  the  election  of  some  of 
their  otticers,  because  it  was  proved  that  three  of  their 
leading  men  who  influenced  the  majority,  had  entered 
into  an  unjustifiable  compact,  of  which,  however,  the 
majority  were  ignorant.  He  dictated  to  me,  after  a 
little  consideration,  the  following  sentences  upon  the 
subject : 

*'  There  is  a  difference  between  majority  and  supe- 
riority ;  majority  is  applied  to  number,  and  superiority 
to  power  ;  and  power  like  many  other  things,  is  to  be 
estimated  non  nnmero  sed  pondere.  Now  though  the 
greater  number  is  not  corrupt,  the  greater  weight  is  cor- 
rupt, so  that  corruption  predominates  in  the  borough, 
taken  coUectivehj^  tliough,  perhaps,  taken  numericalhfy 
the  greater  part  may  be  uncorrupt.  That  borough, 
which  is  so  constituted  as  to  act  corruptly,  is  in  the  eye 
of  reason  corrupt,  whether  it  be  by  the  uncontrollable 
power  of  a  few,  or  by  an  accidental  pravity  of  the  mul- 
titude. The  objection,  in  which  is  urged  the  injustice 
of  making  the  innocent  suffer  with  the  guilty,  is  an  ob- 
jection not  only  against  society,  but  against  the  possi- 
bility of  society.  All  societies,  great  and  small,  subsist 
upon  this  condition  ;  that  as  the  individuals  derive  ad- 
vantages from  union,  they  may  likewise  suffer  incon- 
veniences;  that  as  those  who  do  nothing,  and  some- 
times those  who  do  ill,  will  have  the  honours  and  emol- 
uments of  general  virtue  and  general  prosperity,  so 
those  likewise  who  do  nothing,  or  perhaps  do  well, 


'  In  justice  to  Dr.  Memis,  though  I  was  against  him  as  an  Advocate,  I  must 
mention,  that  he  objected  to  the  variation  verv  earnestly  before  the  translation 
was  printed  off. 


192  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  must  be  involved  in  the  consequences  of  predominant 
corruption." 

This  in  my  opinion  was  a  very  nice  case  ;  but  the 
decision  was  affirmed  in  the  House  of  Lords* 

On  Monday,  May  8,  we  went  together  and  visited 
the  mansions  of  Bedlam.  I  had  been  informed  that 
he  had  once  been  there  before  with  Mr.  Wedderburne, 
(now  Lord  Loughborough,)  Mr.  Murphy,  and  Mr. 
Foote  ;  and  I  had  heard  Foote  give  a  very  entertain- 
ing account  of  Johnson's  happening  to  have  his  atten- 
tion arrested  by  a  man  who  was  very  furious,  and  who, 
while  beating  his  straw,  supposed  it  was  William  Duke 
of  Cumberland,  whom  he  was  punishing  for  his  cruel- 
ties in  Scotland,  in  1746.'  There  was  nothing  pecu- 
liarly remarkable  this  day  ;  but  the  general  contem- 
plation of  insanity  was  very  affecting.  I  accompanied 
him  home,  and  dined  and  drank  tea  with  him. 

Talking  of  an  acquaintance  of  ours,  distinguished 
for  knowing  an  uncommon  variety  of  miscellaneous 
articles  both  in  antiquities  and  polite  literature,  he  ob- 
served, "  You  know,  Sir,  he  runs  about  with  little 
weight  upon  his  mind."  And  talking  of  another  very 
ingenious  gentleman,  who  from  the  warmth  of  his  tem- 
per was  at  variance  with  many  of  his  acquaintance, 
and  wished  to  avoid  them,  he  said,  "  Sir,  he  leads  the 
life  of  an  outlaw." 

On  Friday,  May  12,  as  he  had  been  so  good  as  to 
assign  me  a  room  in  his  house,  where  I  might  sleep 
occasionally,  when  I  happened  to  sit  with  him  to  a 
late  hour,  L  took  possession  of  it  this  night,  found 
every  thing  in  excellent  order,  and  was  attended  by 
honest  Francis  with  a  most  civil  assiduity.  1  asked 
Johnson  whether  I  might  go  to  a  consultation  with  an- 
other lavi^yer  upon  Sunday,  as  that  appeared  to  me  to 
be  doinsf  work  as  much  in  mv  wav,  as  if  an  artizan 
should  work  on  the  day  appropriated  for  religious  rest. 
Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  when  you  are  of  consequence 
enough  to  oppose  the  practice  of  consulting  upon  Sun- 

'  My  very  honourable  friend  General  Sir  George  Ho\n-ard,  who  served  in  the 
Duke  of  Cumberland's  army,  has  assured  mc  that  the  cruelties  were  not  imputikle 
to  his  Rnyal  Higlmess. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  19:] 

day,  you  should  do  it  :  but  you  may  go  now.     It  is  1775. 
not  criminal,  though  it  is  not  what  one  should  do,  who  ^7,',^ 
is  anxious  tor  the  preservation  and  increase  of  piety,  to   titi.  * 
whicli  a  peculiar  observance  of  Sunday  is  a  great  help. 
The  distinction  is  clear  between  what  is  of  moral  and 
what  is  of  ritual  obligation." 

On  Saturday,  May  1:3,  I  breakfasted  with  him  by 
invitation,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Andrew  Crosbie,  a 
Scotch  Advocate,  whom  he  had  seen  at  Edinburgh, 
and  the  Hon.  Colonel  (now  General)  Edward  Stop- 
ford,  brother  to  Lord  Courtown,  who  was  desirous  of 
being  introduced  to  him.  His  tea  and  rolls  and  but- 
ter, and  whole  breakfast  apparatus  were  all  in  such 
decorum,  and  his  behaviour  was  so  courteous,  that 
Colonel  Stopford  was  quite  surprized,  and  wondered  at 
his  having  heard  so  much  said  of  Johnson's  sloven- 
hness  and  roughness.  1  have  preserved  nothing  of 
what  passed,  except  that  Crosbie  pleased  him  much 
by  talking  learnedly  of  alchymy,  as  to  which  Johnson 
was  not  a  positive  unbeliever,  but  rather  delighted  in 
considering  what  progress  had  actually  been  made  in 
the  transmutation  of  metals,  what  near  approaches 
there  had  been  to  the  making  of  gold  ;  and  told  us 
that  it  was  affirmed,  that  a  person  in  the  Russian  do- 
minions had  discovered  the  secret,  but  died  without 
revealing  it,  as  imagining  it  would  be  prejudicial  to  so- 
ciety. He  added,  that  it  was  not  impossible  but  it 
might  in  time  be  generally  known. 

It  being  asked  whether  it  was  reasonable  for  a  man 
to  be  angry  at  another  whom  a  woman  had  preferred 
to  him  ? — Johnson.  "  1  do  not  see.  Sir,  that  it  is  rea- 
.sonable  for  a  man  to  be  angry  at  another,  whom  a  wo- 
man has  preferred  to  him  ;  but  angry  he  is,  no  doubt ; 
and  he  is  loath  to  be  angry  at  himself." 

Before  setting  out  for  Scotland  on  the  23d,  I  was 
frequently  in  his  company  at  different  places,  but  tlur- 
ing  this  period  have  recorded  only  two  remarks  :  one 
concerning  Garrick  :  "  He  has  not  Latin  enough.  He 
iinds  out  the  Latin  by  the  meaning  rather  than  the 
meaning   by  the  Latin."      And  another    concerning- 

VOL.  IT.  3i 


194'  THE    LIFE    OF 

1 775.  writers  of  travels,  who,  he  observed,  "  were  more  de- 

^^  fective  than  any  other  writers." 

66.  *  I  passed  many  hours  with  him  on  the  17th,  of 
which  1  find  all  my  memorial  is,  "  much  laughing.^ 
It  should  seem  he  had  that  day  been  in  a  humour  for 
jocularity  and  merriment,  and  upon  such  occasions  I 
never  knew  a  man  laugh  more  heartily.  We  may  sup- 
pose, that  the  high  relish  of  a  state  so  different  from 
his  habitual  gloom,  produced  more  than  ordinary  exer- 
tions of  that  distinguishing  faculty  of  man,  which  has 
puzzled  philosophers  so  much  to  explain.  Johnson's 
laugh  was  as  remarkable  as  any  circumstance  in  his 
manner.  It  was  a  kind  of  good  humoured  growl. 
Tom  Davies  described  it  droUy  enough  :  "  He  laughs 
like  a  rhinoceros." 

"    TO  BENNET    LANGTON,   ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  1  HAVE  an  old  amanuensis  in  great  distress.  I 
have  given  what  I  think  I  can  give,  and  begged  till  I 
cannot  tell  where  to  beg  again.  I  put  into  his  hands 
this  morning  four  guineas.  If  you  could  collect  three 
guineas  more,  it  would  clear  him  from  his  present  dif- 
ficulty.    I  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

Maij  21,  177^.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 


(( 


"to  JAMES  BOSWELL,    ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  MAKE  no  doubt  but  you  are  now  safely  lodg- 
ed in  your  own  habitation,  and  have  told  all  your 
adventures  to  Mrs.  Boswell  and  Miss  Veronica.  Praj 
teach  Veronica  to  love  me.  Bid  her  not  mind  mamma. 
"  Mrs.  Thrale  has  taken  cold,  and  been  very  much 
disordered,  but  I  hope  is  grown  well.  Mr.  Langton 
went  yesterday  to  Lincolnshire,  and  has  invited  Nicol- 
aida*  to  follow  him.  Beauclerk  talks  of  going  to  Bath. 
I  am  to  set  out  on  Monday  ;  so  there  is  nothing  but 
dispersion. 

^  A  learned  Greek. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  19.'l 

"  I  have  returned  Lord  Hailes's  entertaining  sheets,  '775. 
but  must  stay  till  I  come  back  for  more,  because  it  J^ 
will  be  inconvenient  to  send  them  after  me  in  my   gh. 
vagrant  state. 

"  I  promised  Mrs.  Macaiilay^  that  I  would  try  to 
serve  her  son  at  Oxford.  1  ijave  not  forgotten  it,  nor 
am  unwilling  to  perform  it.  If  they  desire  to  give 
him  an  English  education,  it  should  be  considered 
whether  they  cannot  send  him  for  a  year  or  two  to  an 
English  school.  If  he  comes  immediately  from  Scot- 
land, he  can  make  no  figure  in  our  Universities.  The 
schools  in  the  north,  I  believe,  are  cheap ;  and  when  1 
was  a  young  man,  were  eminently  good. 

"  There  are  two  little  books  published  by  the  Foul- 
is,  Telemachus  and  Collins's  Poems,  each  a  shilling  ; 
I  would  be  glad  to  have  them. 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Boswell,  though 
she  does  not  love  me.  You  see  what  perverse  things 
ladies  are,  and  how  little  fit  to  be  trusted  vviji  fuedal 
estates.  When  she  mends  and  loves  me,  there  may 
be  more  hope  of  her  daughters. 

"  I  will  not  send  compliments  to  my  friends  by 
name,  because  I  would  be  loath  to  leave  any  out  in 
the  enumeration.  Tell  them,  as  you  see  them,  how 
well  I  speak  of  Scotch  politeness,  and  Scotch  hospi- 
tality, and  Scotch  beauty,  and  of  every  thing  Scotch, 
but  Scotch  oat-cakes,  and  Scotch  prejudices. 

"  Let  me  know  the  answer  of  Rasay,  and  the  decis- 
ion relating  to  Sir  Allan.*  I  am,  my  dearest  Sir, 
with  great  affection, 

"  Your  most  obliged,  and 

"  Most  humble  servant, 

"  Maif  27,  1775.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

After  my  return  to  Scotland,  I  wrote  three  letters  to 
him,  from  which  1  extract  the  following  passages : 

"  I  have  seen  Lord  Hailes  since  1  came  down.  He 
thinks  it  wonderful  that  you  are  pleased  to  take  so 

'  Wife  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Kenneth  Macaulay,  authour  of  "  The  History  of 
St.  Kilda." 

"  A  law-suit  carried  on  by  Sir  Allan  Maclean,  Chief  of  liii  Clan,  to  recover  cer- 
tain parts  of  bis  family  estates  from  the  Dvke  «f  Argyle. 


1^6  '  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  much  pains  111  revising  his  '  Annals.'    I  told  him  that 
M\^  you  said  you  were  well  rewarded  by  the  entertain- 
66,  *  ment  which  you  had  in  reading  them." 

"  There  has  been  a  numerous  flight  of  Hebrideans 
in  Edinburgh  this  summer,  whom  1  have  been  happy 
to  entertain  at  my  house.  Mr.  Donald  Macqueen' 
and  Lord  Monboddo  supped  with  me  one  evening. 
They  joined  in  controverting  your  proposition,  that 
the  Gaelick  of  the  Highlands  and  Isles  of  Scotland 
was  not  written  till  of  late." 

"  My  mind  has  been  somewhat  dark  this  summer. 
I  have  need  of  your  warming  and  vivifying  rays  ;  and 
I  hope  I  shall  have  them  frequently.  I  am  going  t© 
pass  some  time  with  my  father  at  Auchinleck." 

"  TO  JAMES    BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  1  AM  returned  from  the  annual  ramble  into  the 
middle  counties.  Having  seen  nothing  1  had  not  seen 
before,  I  have  nothing  to  relate.  Time  has  left  that 
part  of  the  island  few  antiquities  ;  and  commerce  has 
left  the  people  no  singularities.  I  was  glad  to  go 
abroad,  and,  perhaps,  glad  to  come  home  ;  which  is, 
in  other  words,  I  was,  1  am  afraid,  weary  of  being  at 
home,  and  weary  of  being  abroad.  Is  not  this  the 
state  of  life  ?  J3ut,  if  we  confess  this  weariness  let  us 
not  lament  it  ;  for  all  the  wise  a.nd  all  the  good  say, 
that  we  may  cure  it. 

"  For  the  black  fumes  which  rise  in  your  mind,  I 
can  prescribe  nothing  but  that  you  disperse  them  by 
honest  business  or  innocent  pleasure,  and  by  rea(hng, 
sometimes  easy  and  sometimes  serious.  Change  of 
place  is  useful  ;  and  1  hope  that  your  residence  at  Au- 
chinleck will  have  many  good  effects. 

tF  tF  If!  t(F  TV  ^ 

"  That  I  should  have  given  pain  to  Rasay,  I  am  sin- 
cerely sorry  ;  and  am  therefore  very  much  pleased  that 
he  is  no  longer  uneasy.     He  still  thinks  that  1  have 

^  A  very  learned  minister  in  the  Isle  of  Sky,  whom  both  Dr.  Johnson  and  I  have 
mentioned  with  regard. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  197 

lepresented  his    as  personally    giving  up  the   Chief-  1775. 
tainship.     1  meant  only  that  it  was  no  longer  contested  ^^^ 
between  the  two  houses,  and  supposed  it  settled,  per-   qq  ' 
haps,  bv  the  cession  of  some  remote  generation,  in  the 
house  of  Dunvegan.     1  am  sorry  the  advertisement 
was  not  continued  for  three  or  four  times  in  the  paper. 

"  That  Lord  Monboddo  and  Mr.  Macqueen  should 
controvert  a  position  contrary  to  the  imaginary  interest 
of  literary  or  national  prejudice,  might  be  easily  ima- 
gined ;  but  of  a  standing  fact  there  ought  to  be  no 
controversy  ;  if  there  are  men  with  tails,  catch  an 
homo  Cauda f us  ;  if  there  was  writing  of  old  in  the 
Highlands  or  Hebrides,  in  the  Erse  language,  produce 
the  manuscripts.  Where  men  write  they  will  write  to 
one  another,  and  some  of  their  letters,  in  families  stu- 
dious of  their  ancestry,  will  be  kept.  In  Wales  there 
are  many  manuscripts. 

"  1  have  now  three  parcels  of  Lord  Hailes's  history, 
which  1  purpose  to  return  all  the  next  week  :  that  his 
respect  for  my  little  observations  should  keep  his  work 
in  suspense,  makes  one  of  the  evils  of  my  journey.  It 
is  in  our  language,  1  think,  a  new  mode  of  history 
which  tells  all  that  is  wanted,  and,  1  suppose,  all  that 
is  known,  without  laboured  splendour  of  language,  or 
affected  subtilty  of  conjecture.  The  exactness  of  his 
dates  raises  my  wonder.  He  seems  to  have  the  close- 
ness of  Henault  without  his  constraint. 

"  Mrs.  Thrale  was  so  entertained  with  your  *  Jour- 
nal,'* that  she  almost  read  herself  blind.  She  has  a 
great  regard  for  you. 

"  Of  Mrs.  Boswell,  though  she  knows  in  her  heart 
that  she  does  not  love  me,  1  am  always  glad  to  hear 
any  good,  and  hope  that  she  and  the  little  dear  ladies 
will  have  neither  sickness  nor  any  other  affliction.  But 
she  knows  that  she  does  not  care  what  becomes  of  me, 
and  for  that  she  may  be  sure  that  I  think  her  very  much 
to  blame. 

"  Never,  my  dear  Sir,  do  you  take  it  into  your  head 
to  think  that  1  do  not  love  you  ;  you  may  settle  your- 

*  My  "  Journal  of  a  Tonr  t«  the  Hebriden,"  whidi  that  lady  read  in  the  onginal 
■aanascript 


198  THE    LIFE    OP 

1775.  self  in  full  confidence  both  of  my  love  and  my  esteem  ; 
J^J^  1  love  you  as  a  kind  man,  1  value  you  as  a  worthy  man, 
66.    and  hope  in  time  to  reverence  you  as  a  man  of  exem- 
plary piety.     I  hold  you  as  Hamlet  has  it  '  in  my  heart 
of  hearts/  and  therefore,  it  is  little  to  say,  that  1  am, 
Sir, 

"  Your  affectionate  humble  servant, 
"  London,  August  27,  1775.  "  bAM.  Johnson/^ 

TO  THE  SAME. 
"  SIR, 

"  If  in  these  papers,^  there  is  little  alteration  at- 
tempted, do  not  suppose  me  negligent.  1  have  read 
them  perhaps  more  closely  than  the  rest ;  but  I  find 
nothing  worthy  of  an  objection. 

"  Write  to  me  soon,  and  write  often,  and  tell  me  all 
your  honest  heart. 

"  I  am.  Sir, 

"  Your's  affectionately, 
"  August  30,  1775.  "  Sam.  Johnson.*^ 

TO  THE  same. 
"  MY   DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  NOW  write  to  you,  lest  in  some  of  your  freaks 
and  humours  you  should  fancy  yourself  neglected. 
Such  fancies  I  must  entreat  you  never  to  admit,  at  least 
never  to  indulge  ;  for  my  regard  for  you  is  so  radicated 
and  fixed,  that  it  is  become  part  of  my  mind  and  cannot 
be  effaced  but  by  some  cause  uncommonly  violent ; 
therefore  whether  I  write  or  not,  set  your  thoughts  at 
pest.  I  now  write  to  tell  you  that  1  shall  not  very  soon 
write  again,  for  I  am  to  set  out  to-morrow  on  another 
journey. 

"  Your  friends  are  all  well  at  Streatham,  and  in 
Leicester-fields.  *     Make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Bos- 
well,  if  she  is  in  good  humour  with  me. 
"  1  am.  Sir,  &c. 

"  September  U,  177^.  "  Sam.  Johnson.*' 

'  Another  parcel  of  Lord  Hailes's  "  Annals  tf  Scctland," 
«  Where  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  lived. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  199 

What  he  mentions  in  such  light  terms  as,  "  I  am  to  1775. 
set  out  to-morrow  on  another  journey,"  I  soon  after-  ^!^ 
wards  disrovered  was  no  less  than  a  tour  to  France  with    ao. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale.      Ihis  was  the  only  time  in  his 
life  that  he  went  upon  the  Continent. 

"  TO  MR.  ROBERT  LEVET. 

"  DEAR  SIR,  Sejjf.   IS,   177«5,  Calais. 

"  We  are  here  in  France,  after  a  very  pleasing  pas- 
sage of  no  more  than  six  hours.  1  know  not  when  I 
shall  write  again,  and  therefore  I  write  now,  though 
you  cannot  suppose  that  1  have  much  to  say.  You  have 
seen  France  yourself.  From  this  place  we  are  going  to 
Rouen,  and  from  Rouen  to  Paris,  where  Mr.  1  hrale 
designs  to  stay  about  five  or  six  weeks.  We  have  a 
regular  recommendation  to  the  English  resident,  so  we 
shall  not  be  taken  for  vagabonds.  We  think  to  go  one 
way  and  return  another,  and  for  as  much  as  we  can,  I 
will  try  to  speak  a  little  F'rench  ;  I  tried  hitherto  but  lit- 
tle, but  1  spoke  sometimes.  If  1  heard  better,  1  sup- 
pose 1  should  learn  faster.     I  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 

"  Sam.  Johnson." 

TO  THE  same. 

"  DEAR  SIR,  Paris,  Oct.  22,  177^." 

"  We  are  still  here,  commonly  very  busy  in  look- 
ing about  us.  We  have  been  to-day  at  Versailles.  You 
have  seen  it,  and  1  shall  not  describe  it.  We  came 
yesterday  from  Fontainbleau,  where  the  Court  is  now. 
We  went  to  see  the  King  and  Queen  at  dinner,  and 
the  Queen  was  so  impressed  by  Miss,'  that  she  sent 
one  of  the  Gentlemen  to  enquire  who  she  was.  I  find 
all  true  that  you  have  ever  told  me  at  Paris.  Mr.  Thrale 
is  very  liberal,  and  keeps  us  two  coaches,  and  a  very 
fine  table  ;  but  1  think  our  cookery  very  bad.  Mrs. 
Thrale  got  into  a  convent  of  English  nuns,  and  I  talk- 
ed with  her  through  the  grate,  and  1  am  very  kindly 

9  Mis«  Thndc. 


200  XHE    LIFE    Oe 

i77S.  osed  by  the  English  Benedictine  friars.  But  upon  the 
^J^  whole  I  cannot  make  much  acquaintance  here ;  and 
§6.  though  the  churches,  palaces,  and  some  private  houses 
are  very  magnificent,  there  is  no  very  great  pleasure  af- 
ter having  seen  many,  in  seeing  more  ;  at  least  the  pleas- 
ure, whatever  it  be,  must  some  time  have  an  end, 
and  we  are  beginning  to  think  when  we  shall  come 
home.  Mr.  Thrale  calculates  that  as  we  left  Streatham 
on  the  fifteenth  of  September,  we  shall  see  it  again  about 
the  fifteenth  of  November. 

"  1  think  I  had  not  been  on  this  side  of  the  sea  five 
days  before  1  found  a  sensible  improvement  in  my 
health.  I  ran  a  race  in  the  rain  this  day,  and  beat  Ba- 
retti.  Baretti  is  a  fine  fellow,  and  speaks  French,  I 
think,  quite  as  well  as  English. 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Williams ;  and 
give  my  love  to  Francis  :  and  tell  my  friends  that  I  am 
not  lost.     1  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  affectionate  humble,  &c. 

"  Sam.  Johnson.*^ 

"  to  dr.  samuel  johnson. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Edinburgh,  Oct.  24,  1775. 

"  If  I  had  not  been  informed  that  you  were  at 
Paris,  you  should  have  had  a  letter  from  me  by  the  ear- 
liest opportunity,  announcing  the  birth  of  my  son,  on 
the  9th  instant  ;  1  have  named  him  Alexander,  after 
my  father.  1  now  write,  as  1  suppose  your  fellow-trav- 
eller, Mr.  Thrale,  will  return  to  London  this  week,  to 
attend  his  duty  in  Parliament,  and  that  you  will  not 
stay  behind  him. 

"  I  send  another  parcel  of  Lord  Hailes's  '  Annals.' 
I  have  undertaken  to  solicit  you  for  a  favour  to  him, 
which  he  thus  requests  in  a  letter  to  me  :  '  I  intend 
soon  to  give  you  "  The  Life  of  Robert  Bruce,"  which 
you  will  be  pleased  to  transmit  to  Dr.  Johnson.  I 
wish  that  you  could  assist  me  in  a  fancy  which  I  have 
taken,  of  getting  Dr.  Johnson  to  draw  a  character  of 
Robert  Bruce,  from  the  account  that  I  give  of  that 
prince.     If  he  finds  materials  for  it  ia  my  work,  it  will 


DR.   JOHNSON.  <;o 


be  a  proof  that  I  have  been  fortunate  in  selecting  the  i//.* 
most  striking  incidents.' 

"  I  snp|)oso  by  '  T/ie  Life  of  Robrit  Bruce,'  liis 
Lordship  means  tliat  part  of  his  '  Annals'  which  relates 
the  history  of  that  prince,  and  not  a  separate  work. 

"  Shall  we  have  '  A  Journeij  to  Puri^^  from  you  in 
the  winter  \  You  will,  1  hope,  at  any  rate  be  kind 
enough  to  give  me  some  account  of  your  French  trav- 
els very  soon,  for  I  am  very  impatient.  What  a  diiier- 
ent  scene  have  you  viewed  this  autumn,  from  that 
which  you  viewed  in  autumn  177J  !  1  ever  am,  my 
dear  Sir, 

"  Your  much  obliged  and 

"  Affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell." 

"  to  JAMES  BOSWELL,    ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  AM  glad  that  the  young  Laird  is  born,  and  au 
end,  as  I  hope,  put  to  the  only  difference  that  you  can 
ever  have  with  Mrs.  Boswell.'  1  know  that  she  does 
not  love  me  ;  but  I  intend  to  persist  in  wishing  her  well 
till  1  get  the  better  of  her. 

"  Paris  is,  indeed,  a  place  very  different  from  the 
Hebrides,  but  it  is  to  a  hasty  traveller  not  so  fertile  of 
novelty,  nor  affords  so  many  opportunities  of  remark. 
I  cannot  pretend  to  tell  the  publick  an}'  thing  of  a  place 
better  known  to  many  of  my  readers  than  to  myself. 
We  can  talk  of  it  when  we  meet. 

"  I  shall  go  next  week  to  Streatham,  from  whence  I 
purpose  to  send  a  parcel  of  the  '  History'  every  post. 
Concerning  the  character  of  Bruce,  I  can  only  say,  that 
I  do  not  see  any  great  reason  for  writing  it ;  but  ]  shall 
not  easily  deny  what  Lord  Hailes  and  you  concur  in 
desiring. 

"  I  have  been  remarkably  healthy  all  the  journey, 
and  hope  you  and  your  family  have  known  only  that 
trouble  and  danger  which  has  so  happily  terminated. 

'  This  alludes  to  my  old  feudal  principle  of  prcferrinjj  mals  to  female  tuccepsicic. 

VOL.  II.  26 


?02  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  Among  all  the  congratulations  that  you  may  receive, 
EtaT  1  h<^P6  you  believe  none  more  warm  or  sincere,  than 
6§.   those  of,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate, 
"  November  16,  177>5.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  TO  MRS.  LUCY  PORTER,    IN  LICHFIELD.^ 
''  DEAR  MADAM, 

"  This  week  I  came  home  from  Paris.  I  have 
brought  you  a  little  box,  which  I  thought  pretty ;  but 
I  know  not  whether  it  is  properly  a  snuff  box,  or  a  box 
for  some  other  use.  I  will  send  it,  when  I  can  find  an 
opportunity.  I  have  been  through  the  whole  journey 
remarkably  well.  My  fellow-travellers  were  the  same 
whom  you  saw  at  Lichfield,  only  we  took  Baretti  with 
us.  Paris  is  not  so  fine  a  place  as  you  would  expect. 
The  palaces  and  churches,  however,  are  very  splendid 
and  magnificent ;  and  what  would  please  you,  there  are 
many  very  fine  pictures  ;  but  1  do  not  think  their  way 
of  life  commodious  or  pleasant. 

"  Let  me  know  how  your  health  has  been  all  this 
while.  I  hope  the  fine  summer  has  given  you  strength 
sufficient  to  encounter  the  winter, 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  all  my  friends ;  and,  if 
your  fingers  will  let  you,  write  to  me,  or  let  your  maid 
write,  if  it  be  troublesome  to  you.  I  am,  dear  Madam, 
"  Your  most  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  Nov.  16,  177^.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

TO  THE  SAME. 
"  DEAR  MADAM, 

"  Some  weeks  ago  I  wrote  to  you,  to  tell  you  that 
I  was  just  come  home  from  a  ramble,  and  hoped  that  I 
should  have  heard  from  you.  I  am  afraid  winter  has 
laid  hold  on  your  fingers,  and  hinders  you  from  writ- 

-  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  many  years  previous  to  1 775,  he  corresponded 
with  tliis  lady,  who  was  his  step-daughter,  but  none  of  his  earlier  letters  to  her  have 
been  preserved. 

[Since  the  death  of  the  authour,  several  of  Johnson's  letters  to  Mrs.  laicy  Por- 
ter, written  before  1775,  were  obligingly  communicated  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Vyse,  ta 
Mr.  Malone,  and  are  printed  in  the  present  edition,    M.] 


DR.   JOHNSON.  20:3 

ing.     However,  letsomebody  write,  it  you  cannot,  and  ni-'i- 
tell  me  how  you  do,  and  a  little  of  what  has  happened  ^^'^ 
at   Liehfield   among  our  friends.     1   hope  you  are  all   c,[i_ 
well. 

"  When  I  was  in  France,  I  thought  myself  growing 
young,  but  am  afraid  that  cold  weather  will  take  part 
ut  my  new  vigour  from  me.  Let  us,  however,  take 
care  of  ourselves,  and  lose  no  part  of  our  health  by 
negligence. 

*'  1  never  knew  whether  you  received  the  Commen- 
tary on  the  New  Testament,  and  the  Travels,  and  the 
glasses. 

"  Do,  my  dear  love,  write  to  me  ;  and  do  not  let  us 
forget  each  other.  This  is  the  season  of  good  wishes, 
and  I  wish  you  all  good.  1  have  not  lately  seen  Mr. 
Porter, 3   nor  heard  of  him.     Is  he  with  you  ? 

"  Be  pleased  to  make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Adey. 
and  Mrs.  Cobb,  and  all  my  friends ;  and  when  I  can 
do  any  good,  let  me  know.     1  am,  dear  Madam, 
"  Yours  most  atfectionately, 

"  Decc?nber,  177«5.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

It  is  to  be  regretted,  that  he  did  not  write  an  account 
of  his  travels  in  France  ;  for  as  he  is  reported  to  have 
once  said,  that  "  he  could  write  the  Life  of  a  Broom- 
stick," so,  notwithstanding  so  many  former  travellers 
have  exhausted  almost  every  subject  for  remark  in  that 
great  kingdom,  his  very  accurate  observation,  and  pe- 
culiar vigour  of  thought  and  illustration,  would  have 
produced  a  valuable  work.  During  his  visit  to  it,  which 
lasted  but  about  two  months,  he  wrote  notes  or  minutes 
of  what  he  saw.  He  promised  to  shew  me  them,  but 
I  neglected  to  put  him  in  mind  of  it ;  and  the  greatest 
part  of  them  has  been  lost,  or  perhaps,  destroyed  in  a 
precipitate  burning  of  his  papers  a  few  days  before  his 
death,  which  must  ever  be  lamented  :  One  small  paper- 
book,  however,  entitled  "  France  \l."  has  been  pre- 
served, and  is  in  my  possession.  It  is  a  diurnal  regis- 
ter of  his  life  and  observations,  from  the  1 0th  of  October 

^  Sj)n  of  Mrs.  Jolinsou,  by  her  first  husband. 


204  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  to  the  4th  of  November,  inclusive,  being  twenty -six 
'^^[  days,  and  shows  an  extraordinary  attention  to  various 
()().    minute  particulars.     Being  the  only  memorial  of  this 
tour  that  remains,  my  readers,  I  am  confident,  will  pe- 
ruse it  with  pleasure,  though  his  notes  are  very  short, 
and  evidently  written  only  to  assist  his  own  recollection » 

"  Oct,  10.  Tuesday.  We  saw  the  Ecole  Militaire^ 
ill  which  one  hundred  and  fifty  young  boys  are  edu- 
cated for  the  army.  They  have  arms  of  dififerent  sizes, 
according  to  the  age  ;— flints  of  wood.  The  building 
^s  very  large,  but  nothing  fine  except  the  council-room. 
The  French  have  large  sc|uares  in  the  windows  ; — they 
make  good  iron  palisades.     Their  meals  are  gross. 

"  We  visited  the  Observatory,  a  large  building  of  a 
great  heights  The  upper  stones  of  the  parapet  very 
large,  but  not  cramped  with  iron.  The  flat  on  the  top 
is  very  extensive  ;  but  on  the  insulated  part  there  is 
no  parapet.  Though  it  was  broad  enough,  I  did  not 
care  to  go  upon  it.  Maps  were  printing  in  one  of  the 
rooms. 

"  We  walked  to  a  small  convent  of  the  Fathers  of 
the  Oratory.  In  the  reading-desk  of  the  refectory  lay 
the  lives  of  the  Saints, 

"  Oct.  11.  Wednesday.  We  went  to  see  H6tel  de 
Chatlois^  a  house  not  very  large,  but  very  elegant. 
One  of  the  rooms  was  gilt  to  a  degree  that  1  never 
saw  before.  The  upper  part  for  servants  and  their 
masters  was  pretty. 

"  Thence  we  went  to  Mr.  Monville's,  a  house  di- 
vided into  small  apartments,  furnished  with  effeminate 
and  minute  elegance.— Porphyry. 

''  Thence  we  went  to  St.  lloque's  church,  whicn  is 
very  large  ;— the  lower  part  of  the  pillars  incrusted 
with  marble. — Three  chapels  behind  the  high  altar  ; 
■ — the  last  a  mass  of  low  arches. — Altars,  I  believe  aH 
round. 

"  We  passed  through  Place  de  Veiiddme,  a  fine 
square,  about  as  big  as  Hanover-square. — Inhabited  by 
the  high  families, — Lewis  XIV.  on  horse-back  in  the 
middle. 


DK.    JOHNSON.  20^ 

*'  Monville  is  the  son  of  a  farmer-general,  lu  the  1775. 
house  of  Chatlois  is  a  room  fmnishcd  witii  japan,  fit-  J^^ 
ted  up  in  luirope.  m, 

"  We  dined  with  Boccage,  the  Marquis  Blanchetti, 
and  his  lady. — The  sweetmeats  taken  by  the  Mar- 
chioness Blanchetti,  after  observing  that  they  were 
dear.  Mr.  Le  Hoy,  Count  Manucci,  the  Abbe,  the 
J'rior,  and  Father  Wilson,  who  staid  with  me,  till  \ 
took  him  home  in  the  coach. 

''  Bathiani  is  gone. 

"  The  French  have  no  laws  for  the  maintenance  of 
their  poor. — Monk  not  necessarily  a  priest. — Benedic- 
tines rise  at  four  ; — are  at  church  an  hour  and  half  ;  at 
church  again  half  an  hour  before,  half  an  hour  after, 
dinner  ;  and  again  from  half  an  hour  after  seven  to 
eight.  They  may  sleep  eight  hours. — Bodily  labour 
wanted  in  monasteries. 

*'  The  poor  taken  to  hospitals,  and  miserably  kept. 
— Monks  in  the  convent  fifteen  : — accounted  poor." 

"  Oct.  12.  Thursday.  We  went  to  the  Gobelins. 
— Tapestry  makes  a  good  picture  ; — imitates  flesh  ex- 
actly.— One  piece  with  a  gold  ground  ; — the  birds  not 
exactly  coloured. — Thence  we  went  to  the  King's  cab- 
inet ; — very  neat,  not,  perhaps,  perfect. — Gold  ore. — 
Candles  of  the  candle-tree. — Seeds. — Woods.  Thence 
to  Gagnier's  house,  where  1  saw  rooms  nine,  furnished 
with  a  profusion  of  wealth  and  elegance  which  1  never 
had  seen  before. — Vases. — Pictures. — The  dragon 
china. — The  lustre  said  to  be  of  crystal,  and  to  have 
cost,  3,500l. — The  whole  furniture  said  to  have  cost 
12o,000l. — Damask  hangings  covered  with  pictures. — 
Porphyry. — This  house  struck  me. — Then  we  waited 
on  the  ladies  to  Monville's. — Captain  Irwin  with  us.* 
— Spain.  County  towns  all  beggars. — At  Dijon  he 
could  not  find  the  way  to  Orleans. — Cross  roads  of 
F>ance  very  bad. — Five  soldiers. — Woman. — Soldiers 
escaped. — The  Colonel  would  not  lose  five  men  for  the 
death  of  one  woman. — The  magistrate  cannot  seize  a 
soldier  but  by  the  Colonel's  permission, — Good  inn  at 

"'  The  rest  of  this  paragraph  appears  to  be  a  minute  of  what  was  told  by  Cap- 
cain  Irwin. 


206  THE    LIFE    OF 

5  775.  Nismes. — Moors  of  Barbary  fond   of   Englishmen.- — 
^^J^  Gibraltar  eminently   health}^  ; — it  has  beef  from  Bar- 
66.    bary. — There  is  a  large  garden. — Soldiers  sometimes 
fall  from  the  rock. 

"  Oct.  13.  Friday.  I  staid  at  home  all  day,  only 
went  to  find  the  prior,  who  was  not  at  home. — I  read 
something  in  (Janus.  ^      Nee  admiror^  nee  multimi  laudo. 

'•  Oct.  14.  Saturday.  We  went  to  the  house  of 
.  Mr.  Argenson,  which  was  almost  wainscotted  with 
looking-glasses,  and  covered  with  gold. — The  ladies' 
closet  wainscotted  with  large  squares  of  glass  over 
painted  paper.  They  always  place  mirrours  to  reflect 
their  rooms. 

"  Then  we  went  to  Julien's,  the  Treasurer  of  the 
Clergy  : — 30,0001.  a  year. — The  house  has  no  very 
large  room,  but  is  set  with  mirrours,  and  covered  with 
gold. — Books  of  wood  here,  and  in  another  library. 

"  At  D********'s  I  looked  into  the  books  in  the 
lady's  closet,  and,  in  contempt,  shewed  them  to  Mr. 
T. — Prmce  titi  ;  Bihl.  des  Fees^  and  other  books. — 
She  was  offended,  and  shut  up,  as  we  heard  after- 
wards,  her  apartment. 

"  Then  we  went  to  Julien  Le  Roy,  the  King's 
watch-maker,  a  man  of  character  in  his  business,  who 
shewed  a  small  clock  made  to  find  the  longitude^ — A 
decent  man. 

"  Afterwards  we  saw  the  Palais  Marchand^  and  the 
Courts  of  Justice,  civil  and  criminal. — Queries  on  the 
Sellette. — This  building  has  the  old  Gothick  passages, 
and  a  great  appearance  of  antiquity. — Three  hundred 
prisoners  sometimes  in  the  gaol. 

"  Much  disturbed  ;  hope  no  ill  will  be.  ^ 

"  In  the  afternoon  I  visited  Mr.  Freron  the  journal- 
ist. He  spoke  Latin  very  scantily,  but  seemed  to  un- 
derstand me. — His  house  not  splendid,  but  of  com- 
modious size. — His  family,  wife,  son,  and  daughter, 
not  elevated  but  decent. — I  was  pleased  with  my  re- 

*  Melchior  Caniis,  a  celebrated  Spanish  Dominican,  who  died  at  Toledo,  in  1560. 
He  wrote  a  treatise  Dd  Lods  Tlndogicis,  in  twelve  books. 

'■  This  passage,  wliich  so  many  think  superstitious,  reminds  me  of  Archbisbbp 
Laud's  DJary. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  807 

oeption. — He  is  to  translate  my  books,  which  I  am  to  ^7'5. 
send  him  with  notes.  ^t'^. 

"•  Oct.  IJ.  Sunday.  At  Choisi,  a  royal  palace  on  (iti. 
the  hanks  of  the  Seine,  about  7  m.  from  Paris. — The 
terrace  noble  along  the  river. — The  rooms  numerous 
and  grand,  but  not  discriminated  from  other  palaces. — 
The  chapel  beautiful,  but  small. — China  globes. — In- 
laid tables. — Labyrinth. — Sinking  table. — Toilet  tables. 

"  Oct.  16.  Monday.  The  Palais  Royal  very  grand, 
large,  and  lofty. — A  very  great  collection  of  pictures. — 
Three  of  Raphael. — Two  Holy  Family. — One  small 
piece  of  M.  Angelo. — One  room  of  Rubens. — I 
thought  the  pictures  of  Raphael  fine. 

"  The  Thuilleries. — Statues. — \enus. — /En.  and 
Anchises  in  his  arms. — Nilus. — INlany  more.  The 
walks  not  open  to  mean  persons. — Chairs  at  night  hir- 
ed for  two  sous  a  piece. — Pont  tournant. 

"  Austin  Nuns. — Grate. — Mrs.  Permor,  Abbess. — 
She  knew  Pope,  and  thought  him  disagreeable. — Mrs. 

has  many  books  ; — has  seen  life. — Their  frontlet 

disagreeable. — Their  hood. — Their  hfe  easy. — Rise 
about  five  ;  hour  and  half  in  chapel. — Dine  at  ten. — 
Another  hour  and  half  at  chapel ;  half  an  hour  about 
three,  and  half  an  hour  more  at  seven  : — four  hours 
in  chapel. — A  large  garden. — Thirteen  pensioners. — 
Teacher  complained. 

"  At  the  Boulevards  saw  nothing,  yet  was  glad  to 
be  there. — Rope-dancing  and  farce. — Egg  dance. 

"  N.  [Note.]  Near  Paris,  whether  on  week-days  or 
Sundays,  the  roads  empty. 

"  Oct.  17-  Tuesday.  At  the  Palais  Marchand  I 
bought 

A  snuff-box,  24  L. 

6 

Table  book  15 

Scissars  3  p  [pair]  1 8 


63—2  12  6 
"  We  heard  the  lawyers  plead. — N.     As  many  kil- 
led at  Paris  as  there  are  days  in  the  year. — Chambre  de 


'i08  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  question. — Tounieile  at  the  Palais  Marchand.— An  old 
^^  venerable  building. 

66. '  "  The  Palais  Bourbon,  belonging  to  the  Prince  of 
Conde.  Only  one  small  wing  shewn  ; — lofty  ;— 
splendid  ; — gold  and  glass.- — The  battles  of  the  great 
Conde  are  painted  in  one  of  the  rooms.  The  present 
Prince  a  grandsire  at  thirty-nine. 

"  The  sight  of  palaces,  and  other  great  buildings, 
leaves  no  very  distinct  images,  unless  to  those  who 
talk  of  them.  As  I  entered,  my  wife  was  in  my 
mind  :'  she  would  have  been  pleased.  Having  now 
nobody  to  please,  I  am  little  pleased. 

"  N.  In  France  there  is  no  middle  rank. 

*'  So  many  shops  open,  that  Sunday  is  little  distin- 
guished at  Paris. — The  palaces  of  Louvre  and  Thuil- 
leries  granted  out  in  lodgings. 

"  In  the  Palais  de  Bourbon,  gilt  globes  of  metal  at 
the  fire  place. 

"  The  French  beds  commended.— -Much  of  the 
marble,  only  paste. 

"  The  Colosseum  a  mere  wooden  building,  at  least 
much  of  it. 

"  Oct.  18.  Wednesday.  We  went  to  Fontaine- 
bleau,  which  we  found  a  large  mean  town,  crouded 
with  people. — The  forest  thick  with  woods,  very  ex- 
tensive.— Manucci  secured  us  lodgings.— The  appear- 
ance of  the  country  pleasant. — No  hills,  few  streams, 
only  one  hedge. — I  remember  no  chapels  nor  crosses 
on  the  road. — Pavement  still,  and  rows  of  trees. 

"  N.  Nobody  but  mean  people  walk  in  Paris. 

"  Oct.  19.  Thursday.  At  Court,  we  saw  the  apart- 
ments ; — the  King's  bed-chamber  and  council-cham- 
ber extremely  splendid. — Persons  of  all  ranks  in  the 
external  rooms  through  which  the  family  passes ; — ser- 
vants and  masters. — Brunet  with  us  the  second  time. 

"  The  introductor  came  to  us  ; — civil  to  me. — Pre- 
senting.— I  had  scruples. — Not  necessary. — We  went 
and  saw  the  King  and  Queen  at  dinner. — We  saw  the 
other  ladies   at    dinner — Madam  Elizabeth,  with  the 

His  tender  afFection  for  his  departed  wife,  of  which  there  are  many  evidences 
in  his  "  Prayers  and  Meditations,"  appears  very  feelingly  in  this  passage. 


DR.   JOHNSON-  $09 

Princess  of  Guimene. — At  night  we  went  to  a  come-  I775. 
dy.  1  neither  saw  nor  heard. — Drunken  women. —  ^t.^ 
Mrs.  Th.  preferred  one  to  the  other.  oq^  ' 

*'  Oct.  20.  Friday.  We  saw  the  Queen  mount  in 
the  forest. — Hrown  habit  ;  rode  aside  :  one  lady  rode 
aside. — The  Queen's  horse  hght  grey  ; — martingale. — • 
She  galloped. — We  then  went  to  the  apartments,  and 
admired  them. — Then  wandered  through  the  palace. — 
In  the  passages,  stalls  and  shops. — Painting  in  Pres('o 
by  a  great  master,  worn  out. — We  saw  the  King's 
horses  and  dogs. — The  dogs  almost  all  English. — De- 
generate. 

*'  The  horses  not  much  commended. — The  stables 
cool  ;  the  kennel  filthy. 

"  At  night  the  ladies  went  to  the  opera.  I  refused, 
but  should  have  been  welcome. 

"  The  King  fed  himself  with  his  left  hand  as  we. 

"  Saturday,  91.  In  the  night  1  got  round. — We 
came  home  to  Paris. — I  think  we  did  not  see  the 
chapel. — Tree  broken  by  the  wind. — The  French 
chairs  made  all  of  boards  painted. 

"  N.  Soldiers  at  the  court  of  justice. — Soldiers  not 
amenable  to  the  magistrates. — Dijon  woman. ^ 

"  Faggots  in  the  palace. — Every  thing  slovenly,  ex- 
cept in  the  chief  rooms. — Trees  in  the  roads,  some 
tall,  none  old,  many  very  young  and  small. 

"  Women's  saddles  seem  ill  made. — Queen's  bridle 
woven  with  silver. — Tags  to  strike  the  horse. 

"  Sunday,  Oct.  22.  To  Versailles,  a  mean  town. 
Carriages  of  business  passing. — Mean  shops  against 
the  wall. — Our  way  lay  through  Seve,  where  the  China 
manufacture. — Wooden  bridge  at  Seve,  in  the  way  to 
A'^ersailles. — The  palace  of  great  extent. — The  front 
long  ;  I  saw  it  not  perfectly. — The  Menagerie.  Cyg- 
nets dark  ;  their  black  feet  ;  on  the  ground  ;  tame. — 
Halcyons,  or  gulls. — Stag  and  hind,  young. — Aviary, 
very  large  :  the  net,  wire. — Black  stag  of  China,  small. 
— Rhinoceros,  the  horn  broken  and  pared  away,  which, 
I  suppose,  will  grow  ;  the  basis,  1  think,  four  inches 
'cross  ;  the  skin  folds  like  loose  cloth  doubled  over  liis 

'  Sec  p.  205. 

VOL.  IT.  27 


210  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  body,  and  cross  his  hips  ;  a  vast  animal,  though  young  ; 

^^  as  big,  perhaps,  as  four  oxen. — The  young  elephant, 
66.  with  his  tusks  just  appearing. — The  brown  bear  put 
out  his  paws  ; — all  very  tame. — The  lion. — The  tigers 
I  did  not  well  view. — The  camel,  or  dromedary  with 
two  bunches  called  the  Huguin,^'  taller  than  any  horse. 
— Two  camels  with  one  bunch. — Among  the  birds  was 
a  pelican,  who  being  let  out,  went  to  a  fountain,  and 
swam  about  to  catch  fish.  His  feet  well  webbed  :  he 
dipped  his  head,  and  turned  his  long  bill  sidewise. 
He  caught  two  or  three  fish,  but  did  not  eat  them.  — 
"  Trianon  is  a  kind  of  retreat  appendant  to  Versailles. 
It  has  an  open  portico  ;  the  pavement,  and  1  think,  the 
pillars,  of  marble. — There  are  many  rooms,  which  I  do 
not  distinctly  remember — A  table  of  porphyry,  about 
five  feet  long,  and  between  two  and  three  broad,  given 
to  Louis  XIV.  by  the  Venetian  State. — In  the  coun- 
cil-room almost  all  that  was  not  door  or  window,  was, 
I  think,  looking-glass. — Little  Trianon  is  a  small  palace 
like  a  gentleman's  house. — The  upper  floor  paved  with 
brick. — Little  Vienne. — The  court  is  ill  paved. — The 
fooms  at  the  top  are  small,  fit  to  sooth  the  imagination 
with  privacy.  In  the  front  of  Versailles  are  small  ba- 
sons of  w^ater  on  the  terrace,  and,  other  basons,  1  think, 
below  them.  There  are  little  courts. — The  great  galle- 
ry is  wainscotted  with  mirrours,  not  very  large,  but 
joined  by  frames.  I  suppose  the  large  plates  were  not 
yet  made. — The  play-house  was  very  large. — The  chap- 
el I  do  not  remember  if  we  saw — We  saw  one  chapel, 
but  1  am  not  certain  whether  there  or  at  Trianon. — The 
foreign  office  paved  with  bricks. — The  dinner  half  a 
Louis  each,  and,  I  think,  a  Louis  over. — Money  given 
at  Menagerie,  three  livres ;  at  palace,  six  livres. 

"  Oct.  23.  Monday.  Last  night  I  wrote  to   Levet. 

We    went   to   see   the    looking-glasses   wrought. 

They  come  from  Normandy  in  cast  plates,  perhaps  the 
third  of  an  inch  thick.  At  Paris  they  are  ground  upon 
a  marble  table,  by  rubbing  one  plate  upon  another  with 
grit  between  them.  The  various  sands,  of  which  there 
are  said  to  be  five,  I  could  not  learn.     The  handle,  by 

'  This  cpUhet  should  be  applied  to  this  animal  with  one  bunch. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  91  I 

which  the  upper  glass  is  moved,  has  the  form  of  a  '775. 
wheel,  whicli  may  be  moved  in  all  directions.  "I  he  ^|.^ 
piat(\s  are  sent  up  with  their  surfaces,  ground,  but  not  (Jo. 
polished,  and  so  continue  till  they  are  bespoken,  lest 
time  should  spoil  the  surfoce,  as  we  were  told.  Those 
that  are  to  be  polished,  are  laid  on  a  table  covered  with 
several  thick  cloths,  hard  strained,  that  the  resistance 
may  be  equal ;  they  are  then  rubbed  with  a  hand  rub- 
ber, held  down  hard  by  a  contrivance  which  I  did  not 
well  understand.  The  powder  which  is  used  last  seem- 
ed to  me  to  be  iron  dissolved  in  aqua  fortis  :  they  called 
it,  as  Baretti  said,  marc  cle  V  eaujurfe^  which  he  thought 
was  dregs.  They  mentioned  vitriol  and  saltpetre.  The 
cannon  ball  swam  in  the  quicksilver.  To  silver  them, 
a  leaf  of  beaten  tin  is  laid,  and  rubbed  with  quicksil- 
ver, to  which  it  unites.  Then  more  quicksilver  is 
poured  upon  it,  which,  by  its  mutual  [attraction]  rises 
very  high.  Then  a  paper  is  laid  at  the  nearest  end  of 
the  plate,  over  which  the  glass  isslidedtill  it  lies  upon 
the  plate,  having  driven  much  of  the  quicksilver  before 
it.  It  is  then,  1  think,  pressed  upon  cloth,  and  then 
set  sloping  to  drop  the  superfluous  mercury;  the  slope 
is  daily  heightened  towards  a  perpendicular. 

"  In  the  way  I  saw  the  Greve,  the  mayor's  house, 
and  the  Bastile. 

"  We  then  went  to  Sans-terre,  a  brewer. '  He  brews 
with  about  as  much  malt  as  Mr.  Thrale,  and  sells  his 
beer  at  the  same  price,  though  he  pays  no  duty  for 
malt,  and  little  more  than  half  as  much  for  beer.  Beer 
is  sold  retail  at  6d.  a  bottle.  He  brews  4,000  barrels  a 
year.  There  are  seventeen  brewers  in  Paris,  of  whom 
none  is  supposed  to  brew  more  than  he  ; — reckoning 
them  at  3,000  each,  they  make  51,000  a  year. — They 
make  their  malt,  for  malting  is  here  no  trade. 

"  The  moat  of  the  Bastile  is  dry. 

"  Oct.  24.  Tuesday.  We  visited  the  King's  library 
— 1  saw  the  Speculum  humance  Salvationist  rudely 
printed,  with  ink,  sometimes  pale,  sometimes  black  ; 
part  supposed  to  be  with  wooden  types,  and  part  with 

■  [The  detestable  niffian,  who  afterwards  conducted  Louis  the  Sixteenth  to  the 
scaffold,  aad  commanded  the  troops  that  guarded  it,  during  his  murder,    M.] 


212  IHE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  pages  cut  in  boards. — The  Bible,  supposed  to  be  older 
^J^  than  that  of  Mentz,  in  62  ;  it  has  no  date ;  it  is  sup- 
66, '  posed  to  have  been  printed  with  wooden  types. — I  am 
in  doubt ;  the  print  is  large  and  fair,  in  two  folios. — 
Another  book  was  shewn  me,  supposed  to  have  been 
printed  with  wooden  types ; — I  think,  Diircmdi  Sane- 
tuariiim  in  58.  This  is  inferred  from  the  difference  of 
form  sometimes  seen  in  the  same  letter,  which  might 
be  struck  with  different  puncheons.^ — The  regular  simil- 
itude of  most  letters  proves  better  that  they  are  metal. 
— I  saw  nothing  but  the  Speculum  which  I  had  not 
seen,  I  think,  before. 

"  Thence  to  the  Sorbonne. — The  library  very  large, 
not  in  lattices  like  the  King's.  Marbone  and  Durandi, 
q.  collection  14  vol.  Scriptores  de  rebus  Gallicis^  ma- 
ny folios.^ — Histoire  Geneologique  of  France^  9  vol. — - 
GalUa  Christiana^  the  first  edition,  4to.  the  last,  f.  12 
Tol. — The  Prior  and  Librarian  dined  [with  us]  : — I  wait- 
ed on  them  home. — Their  garden  pretty,  with  covered 
walks,  but  small ;  yet  may  hold  many  students. — The 
Doctors  of  the  Sorbonne  are  all  equal ; — choose  those 
who  succeed  to  vacancies. — Profit  little. 

"  Oct.  25.  Wednesday.  I  went  with  the  Prior  to 
St.  Cloud,  to  see  Dr.  Hooke. — We  walked  round  the 
palace,  and  had  some  talk. — I  dined  with  our  whole 
company  at  the  Monastery. — ^In  the  library,  Beroald^ — 
Cijuion^ — Titus ^  from  Boccace. — O ratio  Proverbialis  to 
the  Virgin,  from  Petrarch  ;  Falkland  to  Sandys  ; — Dry- 
den's  Preface  to  the  third  vol.  of  Miscellanies.- 

"  Oct.  26.  Thursday.  We  saw  the  china  at  Seve, 
cut,  glazed,  painted.  Bellevue,  a  pleasing  house,  not 
great :  fine  prospect. — Meudon,  an  old  palace.— Alex- 
ander, in  Porphyry  :  hollow  between  eyes  and  nose, 
thin  cheeks. — Plato  and  Aristotle — Noble  terrace  over- 
looks the  town—St.  Cloud. — Gallery  not  very  high, 
nor  grand,  but  pleasing. — In  the  rooms,  Michael  An- 
gelo,  drawn  by  himself,  Sir  Thomas  More,  Des  Cartes, 
Bochart,  Naudaeus,  Mazarine. — Gilded  wainscot,  so 
common  that  it  is  not  minded. — Gough  and  Keene. — 

-  Ho  means,  I  suppose,  that  Jk'  vtid  these  different  pi<'ce?,  wh'!f  he  r,eniaiued  in 
the  library. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  fl'ii 

Hooke  came  to  us  at  the  inn. — A  message  from  Drum-  1775. 

gold-  ,  £t^ 

"  Oct.  27.  Friday.     I  staid  at  home. — Gough  and   g6. 

Keene,  and  Mrs.  S 's  friend  dined  with   us. — 

This  day  we  began   to  have  a  fire. — The   weather  is 

grown  very  cold,  and  1  fear,  has  a  bad  effect  upon  my 

breath,  which  has  grown  much  more  free  and  easy  in 

this  country. 

"  Sat.  Oct.  28.  I  visited  the  Grand  Chartruex  built 
by  St.  Louis. — It  is  built  for  forty,  but  contains  only 
twenty-four,  and  will  not  maintain  more. — ^The  friar 
that  spoke  to  us  had  a  pretty  apartment. — Mr.  Baretti 
says  four  rooms  ;  I  remember  but  three. — His  books 
seemed  to  be  French. — His  garden  was  neat ;  he  gave 
me  grapes. — We  saw  the  Place  de  Victoire,  with  the 
statues  of  the  King,  and  the  captive  nations. 

"  We  saw  the  palace  and  gardens  of  Luxembourg, 
but  the  gallery  was  shut. — We  climbed  to  the  top 
stairs. — I  dined  with  Colbrooke,  who  had  much  com- 
pany : — Foote,  Sir  George  Rodney,  Motteux,  Udson, 
Taaf. — Called  on  the  Prior,  and  found  him  in  bed. 

"  Hotel — a  guinea  a  day. — Coach,  three  guineas  a 
week. — V^alet  de  place,  three  1.  a  day. — Avantcoureur, 
a  guinea  a  week.  Ordinary  dinner,  six  1.  a  head. — 
Our  ordinary  seems  to  be  about  five  guineas  a  day. — 
Our  extraordinary  expences,  as  diversions,  gratuities, 
clothes,  1  cannot  reckon. — Our  travelling  is  ten  guineas 
a  day. 

"  White  stockings,   181.^   Wig. — Hat. 

"  Sunday,  Oct.  29,  We  saw  the  boarding-school. — 
The  Enfans  troiivh. — A  room  with  about  eighty-six 
children  in  cradles,  as  sweet  as  a  parlour. — They  lose  a 
third  ;  take  in  to  perhaps  more  than  seven  [years  old] ; 
put  them  to  trades  ;  pin  to  them  the  papers  sent  with 
them. — Want  nurses. — Saw  their  chapel. 

"  Went  to  St.  Eustatia ;  saw  an  innumerable  compa- 
ny of  girls  catechised,  in  many  bodies,  perhaps  100  to 
a  catechist. — Boys  taught  at  one  time,  girls  at  another. 
— The  sermon  ;  the  preacher  wears  a  cap,  which  he 

5  [i.  e.  18  livrn.     Two  pair  of  white  silk  stockingft  were  probably  purchased, 

M.l 


fl4  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  takes  off  at  the  name  : — his  action  uniform,  not  very 
^J^  violent. 

66.  *  "  Oct.  30.  Monday.  We  saw  the  library  of  St. 
Germain. — A  very  noble  collection. — Codex  Divinojnim 
Officiorum,  1459  : — a  letter,  square  like  that  of  the  Of- 
JiceSy  perhaps  the  same. — The  Codex,  by  Fust  and 
Gernsheym. — Meursius,  12  v.  fol. — Amadis.  in  French, 
3  V.  fol. — Catholicon  sine  colophone,  but  of  1460. — 
Two  other  editions,*  one  by 

Augustin.    de  Civitate    Dei,    without   name,  date,    or 
place  but  of  Fust's  square  letter  as  it  seems. 

"  I  dined  with  Col.  Drumgold  ;  had  a  pleasing  after- 
noon. 

"  Some  of  the  books  of  St.  Germain's  stand  in  presses 
from  the  wall,  like  those  at  Oxford. 

"Oct.  31.  Tuesday.  I  lived  at  the  Benedictines  ; 
meagre  day;  soup  meagre,  herrings,  eels,  both  with 
sauce  ;  fried  fish  ;  lentils,  tasteless  in  themselves.  In 
the  library  ;  where  I  found  Wlaffeus's  de  His  tor  id  Indi- 
cd  :  Promo7itorium  flectere,  to  double  the  Cape.  I  part- 
ed very  tenderly  from  the  Prior  and  Friar  Wilkes. 
Maitre  des  Arts,  2  y. — Baca.  Theol.  3  y. — Licen- 
tiate, 2  y. — Doctor  Th.  2  y.  in  all  nine  years. — For  the 
Doctorate  three  disputations,  Major,  Minor,  Sorbonica. 
— Several  colleges  suppressed,  and  transferred  to  that 
which  was  the  Jesuit's  College. 

"Nov.  1.  Wednesday.  We  left  Paris. — St.  Denis,  a 
large  town  ;  the  church  not  very  large,  but  the  middle 
isle  is  very  lofty  and  aweful. — On  the  left  are  chapels 
built  beyond  the  line  of  the  wall,  which  destroy  the 
symmetry  of  the  sides.  The  organ  is  higher  above  the 
pavement  than  any  I  have  ever  seen. — The  gates  are 
0^  brass. — On  the  middle  gate  is  the  history  of  our 
Lord. — The  painted  windows  are  historical,  and  said  to 
be  eminently  beautiful. — We  were  at  another  church 


•»  I  have  looked  in  vain  into  De  Bure,  Meerman,  Mattaire,  and  other  typograph- 
ical books,  for  the  tviro  editions  of  the  "  Catholicon"  which  Dr.  Johnson  mentions 
here,  with  names  which  I  cannot  make  out.  I  read  "  one  by  Lat'mlus,  one  by  Bot- 
dinus."  I  have  deposited  the  original  MS.  in  the  British  Museum,  where  the  curi- 
ous may  see  it.  My  grateful  acknowledgements  are  due  to  Mr.  Pkuita  for  the 
trouble  be  was  pleased  to  take  ya  aiding  my  researches. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  2^6 


rs^ 


belonging  to  n  convent,  of  which  the  portal  is  a  dome  ;  ^775 
we  could  not  enter  further,  and  it  was  almost  dark.      ^^ 

"  Nov.  '2.  Thursday.  We  came  this  day  to  Chan-  Gu 
tilly,  a  seat  belonging  to  the  Prince  of  Conde. — This 
place  is  eminently  beautified  by  all  varieties  of  waters 
starting  up  in  fountains,  falling  in  cascades,  running  in 
streams,  and  spread  in  lakes. — The  water  seems  to  be 
too  near  the  house. — All  this  water  is  brought  from  a 
source  or  river  three  leagues  off,  by  an  artificial  canal, 
which  for  one  league  is  carried  under  ground. — The 
house  is  magnificent. — The  cabinet  seems  well  stocked  ; 
what  1  remember  was,  the  jaws  of  a  hippopotamus,  and 
a  young  hippopotamus  preserved,  which,  however,  is 
so  small,  that  1  doubt  its  reality. — It  seems  too  hairy 
for  an  abortion,  and  too  small  for  a  mature  birth. — 
Nothing  was  in  spirits  ;  all  was  dry. — The  dog  ;  the 
deer  ;  the  ant-bear  with  long  snout. — The  toucan,  long 
broad  beak. — The  stables  were  of  very  great  length. — 
The  kennel  had  no  scents. — There  was  a  mockery  of  a 
village. — The  Menagerie  had  few  animals.' — Two 
faussans,^  or  Brasilian  weasels,  spotted,  very  wild. — 
There  is  a  forest,  and,  I  think,  a  park. — 1  walked  till  1 
was  very  w^eary,  and  next  morning  felt  my  feet  batter- 
ed, and  with  pains  in  the  toes. 

"  Nov.  3.  Friday.  We  came  to  Compeigne,  a  very 
large  town,  with  a  royal  palace  built  round  a  pentag- 
onal court. — The  court  is  raised  upon  vaults,  and  has, 
I  suppose,  an  entry  on  one  side  by  a  gentle  rise. — 
Talk  of  painting. — The  church  is  not  very  large,  but 
very  elegant  and  splendid. — I  had  at  first  great  diffi- 
culty to  walk,  but  motion  grew  continually  easier. — 
At  night  we  came  to  Noyon,  an  episcopal  city. — The 
cathedral  is  very  beautiful,  the  pillars  alternately  Go- 

'  The  writing  is  so  bad  here,  that  the  names  of  several  of  the  animals  could  not 
Ife  decyphered  wthout  much  more  acquaintance  with  natural  history  than  I  pos- 
sess.— Dr.   Blagden,  with  his  usual  politeness,  most  obligingly  examined   the  M.S. 
'  To  that  gentleman,  and  to  Dr.  Gray,  of  the  British  Museum,  who  also  very  readily 
assisted  me,  I  beg  leave  to  express  my  best  thanks. 

'  It  is  thus  written  by  Johnson,  from  the  French  pronunciation  of  fossanc.  It 
should  be  observed,  that  the  person  who  shewed  this  Menagerie  was  mistaken  in 
supposing  the  fossanc  and  the  Brasilian  weasel  to  be  the  same,  the  fossane  being  a 
different  animal,  and  a  native  of  Madagascar".  I  find  them,  however,  upon  one 
plate  in  Pennant's  "  Synopsis  of  Quadrupeds." 


216  THE    LIFE    OP 

1775.  thick  and  Corinthian.— We  entered  a  very  noble  paro- 
~  chial  church. — Noyon  is  walled,  and  is  said  to  be  three 
miles  round. 

"  Nov.  4.  Saturday.  We  rose  very  early,  and  came 
through  St.  Quintin  to  Cambray,  not  long  after  three. 
— We  went  to  an  English  nunnery,  to  give  a  letter  to 
Father  Welch,  the  confessor,  who  came  to  visit  us  in 
the  ev^ening. 

"  Nov.  5.  Sunday.  We  saw  the  cathedral. — It  is 
very  beautiful,  with  chapels  on  each  side. — The  choir 
splendid. — .The  balustrade  in  one  part  brass. — The  NefF 
very  high  and  grand.  The  altar  silver  as  far  as  it  is 
seen. — The  vestments  very  splendid. — At  the  Bene- 
dictines church " 

Here  his  Journal^  ends  abruptly.  Whether  he 
wrote  any  more  after  this  time,  I  know  not  ;  but  prob- 
ably not  much,  as  he  arrived  in  England  about  the 
12th  of  November.  These  short  notes  of  his  tour, 
though  they  may  seem  minute  taken  singly,  make  to- 
gether a  considerable  mass  of  information,  and  exhibit 
such  an  ardour  of  enquiry  and  acuteness  of  examina- 
tion, as,  I  believe,  are  found  in  but  few  travellers, 
especially  at  an  advanced  age.  They  completely  refute 
the  idle  notion  which  has  been  propagated,  that  he 
could  not  see  ;  and,  if  he  had  taken  the  trouble  to  re- 
vise and  digest  them,  he  undoubtedly  could  have  ex- 
panded them  into  a  very  entertaining  narrative. 

When  1  met  him  in  London  the  following  year,  the 
account  which  he  gave  me  of  his  French  tour,  was, 
Sir,  I  have  seen  all  the  visibilities  of  Paris,  and  around 
it  ;  but  to  have  formed  an  acquaintance  with  the 
people  there,  would  have  required  more  time  than  I 
could  stay.  \  was  just  beginning  to  creep  into  ac- 
quaintance by  means  of  Colonel  Drumgold,  a  very 
high  man,  Sir,  head  of  UEcole  Milituire^  a  most  com- 
plete character,  for  he  had  first  been  a  professor  of 
rhetorick,  and  then  became  a  soldier.     And,  Sir,  1  was 

/  My  wortliy  and  ingenious  friend,  Mr.  Andrew  Lumisden,  by  his  accurate  ac- 
quaintance with  France,  enabled  me  to  make  out  many  proper  names  wlxich  Dr. 
Johnson  had  written  indistinctly,  and  sometimes  spelt  «rroneou»ly- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  ?17 

very  kindly   treated  by  the  Enj^^lisii  J3encdictines,  and  '77.'^. 
have  a  cell  appropriated  to  me  in  their  convent."  j^\^ 

Me  observed,  "  The  great  in  l^'rance  live  very  mag-  ocj. 
nifieentiy,  but  the  rest  very  miserably.  I  here  is  no 
happy  middle  state  as  in  England.  Tlie  shops  of  Paris 
are  mean  ;  the  meat  in  the  markets  is  such  as  would 
be  sent  to  a  gaol  in  England  ;  and  Mr.  Thrale  justly 
observed,  that  the  cookery  of  the  French  was  forced 
upon  them  by  necessity  ;  for  they  could  not  eat  their 
meat,  unless  they  added  some  taste  to  it.  The  French 
are  an  indelicate  people  ;  they  will  spit  upon  any  place. 
At  Madame 's,  a  literary  lady  of  rank,  the  foot- 
man took  the  sugar  in  his  fing(^rs,  and  threw  it  into  my 
cotiee.  I  was  going  to  put  it  aside  ;  but  hearing  it 
was  made  on  purpose  for  me,  1  e'en  tasted  Tom's 
fingers.  The  same  lady  would  needs  make  tea  ^  /^A/i- 
gloise.  The  spout  of  the  tea-pot  did  not  pour  freely  ; 
she  bad  the  footman  blow  into  it.  France  is  worse 
than  Scotland  in  every  thing  but  climate.  Nature  has 
done  more  for  the  French  ;  but  they  have  done  less 
for  themselves  than  the  Scotch  have  done." 

It  happened  that  Foote  was  at  Paris  at  the  same 
time  with  Dr.  Johnson,  and  his  description  of  my 
friend  while  there,  was  abundantly  ludicrous.  He  told 
me,  that  the  French  were  quite  astonished  at  his  figure 
and  manner,  and  at  his  dress,  which  he  obstinately 
continued  exactly  as  in  London  ;^ — his  brown  clothes, 
black  stockings,  and  plain  shirt.  He  mentioned,  that 
an  Irish  gentleman  said  to  Johnson,  "  vSir,  you  have 
not  seen  the  best  French  players."  Johnson.  "  Plav- 
err.  Sir  !  I  look  on  them  as  no  U:;tter  than  creatures  set 
upon  tables  and  joint-stools  to  make  faces  and  produce 
laughter,   like  dancing  dogs." — "   But,  Sir,  you   will 

'  [Mr.  Foote  seems  to  have  embellished  a  little  in  saying  that  Johnson  did  not  al- 
ter his  dress  at  Paris  ;  as  in  his  Journal  is  a  memorancum  about  wliitc  stcickings, 
wig,  and  hiio  In  another  place  we  are  told  that  "  during  his  travels  m  France  he 
was  fumishod  with  a  French-made  wig  of  handsome  cor;'ruction."  That  John- 
son was  not  inattentive  to  his  appearance  is  certain,  from  a  circumstance  related 
by  Mr.  Steevens,  and  inserted  by  Mr.  Boswell,  in  vol.  iii.  between  June  15  and 
June  2^?,  1784.     I.  B.'| 

Mr.  Blakeway's  observation  is  further  confirmed  by  a  note  in  Johnson's  diary 
(quoted  by  Sir  John  Hawkins,  Life  of  folnson,  p.  517,)  by  which  it  appears,  that 
he  laid  out  thiity  pounds  in  cloths  for  his  French  journey.     M.] 

VOL.    IT.  2S 


t>18  .  THE    LIFE    OF 

>775.  allow    that    some    players    are   better    than   others]" 
^!^  Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir,  as  some  dogs  dance  better  than 
66.    othei^." 

While  Johnson  was  in  France,  he  was  generally  very 
resolute  in  speaking  Latin.  It  was  a  maxim  with  him 
that  a  man  should  not  let  himself  down,  by  speaking  a 
language  which  he  speaks  imperfectly.  Indeed,  we 
must  have  often  observed  how  inferiour,  how  much 
like  a  child  a  man  appears,  who  speaks  a  broken  tongue. 
When  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  at  one  of  the  dinners  of 
the  Royal  Academy,  presented  him  to  a  Frenchman  of 
great  distinction,  he  would  not  deign  to  speak  French, 
but  talked  Latin,  though  his  Excellency  did  not  under- 
stand it,  owing,  perhaps,  to  Johnson's  English  pronun- 
ciation :  yet  upon  another  occasion  he  was  observed  to 
speak  French  to  a  Frenchman  of  high  rank,  who  spoke 
English,  and  being  asked  the  reason,  with  some  ex- 
pression of  surprise, — he  answered,  "  because  I  think 
my  French  is  as  good  as  his  English."  Though  John- 
son understood  French  perfectly,  he  could  not  speak  it 
readily,  as  I  have  observed  at  his  first  interview  with 
General  Faoli,  in  17^9  ;  yet  he  wrote  it,  I  imagine, 
pretty  well,  as  appears  from  some  of  his  letters  in  Mrs. 
Fiozzi's  collection,  of  which  I  shall  transcribe  one  : 

"  A   Madame  La   Comtesse  de . 


"  July  16,  1775. 

"  Oui,   Madame^   le  moment  est  arrive^  et  il  faut 

que  je  parte.     Mais  pour quoi  faut  il  partir  /  Est  ce  que 

je  m'^ennuye  /  Je  m^ennuijerai  ailleurs.  Est  ce  que  je 
cherche  ou  quelque  plaisir,  on  quelque  soulagement  /  Je 
ne  cherche  rien^je  ri'espere  rien.  Aller  voir  ce  quef  ai 
vii,  etre  un  pen  rejouc^  im  pen  degoute^  me  resouvenir 
que  la  vie  se  passe  en  vain^  me  plaindre  dc  moi^  m^endur- 
crr  aux  dehors;  void  le  tout  de  ce  qu^on  compte pour 
les  delices  de  Pannee.  Que  Dieu  vous  donne^  Madame^ 
tous  les  agremens  de  la  vie^  avec  un  esprit  qui  peut  en 

jouir  sans  s'y  livrcr  trop." 

Here  let  me  not  forget  a  curious  anecdote,  as  related 
to  me  by  Mr.  Beauclerk,  which  I  shall  endeavour  to 


1)K.    JOHNSON.  219 

exhibit  as  well  as  1  can  in  that  gentleman's  lively  man-  >77."> 
ner  ;  and  in  justice  to  him  it  is  proper  to  add,  that  Di\  J^ 
.loiinson  told  me  1  might  rely  both  to  the  correctness  (ii;. 
of  Ins  memory,  and  the  fidelity  of  his  narrative.  "  Wlien 
Madame  de  Boufflers  was  first  in  England,  (said  Beau- 
clerk,)  she  was  desirous  to  see  Johnson.  1  accordingly 
went  with  her  to  his  chambers  in  the  Temple,  where 
she  was  entertained  with  his  conversation  for  some 
time.  When  our  visit  was  over,  she  and  1  left  him. 
and  were  got  into  Inner  Temple-lane,  when  all  at  once 
I  heard  a  noise  like  thunder.  This  was  occasioned  by 
.lohnson,  who  it  seems,  upon  a  little  recollection,  had 
laken  it  into  his  head  that  he  ought  to  have  done  the 
honours  of  his  literary  residence  to  a  foreign  lady  of 
quality,  and  eager  to  show  himself  a  man  of  gallantry, 
was  hurrying  down  the  stair-case  in  violent  agitation. 
He  overtook  us  before  we  reached  the  Temple-gate, 
and  brushing  in  between  me  and  Madame  de  J3oufHers, 
seized  her  hand,  and  conducted  her  to  her  coach.  IJis 
dress  was  a  rusty  brown  morning  suit,  a  pair  of  old 
shoes  by  way  of  slippers,  a  little  shrivelled  wig  sticking 
on  the  top  of  his  head,  and  the  sleeves  of  his  shirt  and 
the  knees  of  his  breeches  hanging  loose.  A  consider- 
able crowd  of  people  gathered  round,  and  were  not  a 
little  struck  by  this  singular  appearance.^' 

He  spoke  Latin  with  wonderful  fluency  and  ele- 
gance. When  Pere  Boscovich  was  in  England,  John- 
son dined  in  company  with  him  at  Sir  Joshua  Rey- 
nolds's, and  at  Dr.  Douglas's,  now  Bishop  of  Salisbury. 
Upon  both  occasions  that  celebrated  foreigner  express- 
ed his  astonishment  at  Johnson's  Latin  conversation. 
AVhen  at  Paris,  Johnson  thus  characterised  Voltaire  to 
Freron  the  Journalist  :  "  Vir  est  acerrpm  ingenii  et 
paiicunim  liieraium" 

"  TO  DR.    SAMUEL    JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Rdhihurgk^  Dec.  .5,   177o- 

"  Mr.  Alexander  Maclean,  the  young  Laird 

of  Col,  being  to  set  out  to-morrow  for  London,  1  give 

him  this  letter  to  introduce  him  to  your  acquaintance. 

The  kindness  which  you  and  1  experienced  from  his 


2?0  THE    LIFE    OF 

i775.  brother,  whose  unfortunate  death  we  sincerely  lament, 
^,]^  wiJ!  make  us  always  desirous  to  show  attention  to  any 
66.  branch  of  the  family.  Indeed,  you  have  so  much  of 
the  true  Highland  cordiality,  that  1  am  sure  you  would 
have  thought  me  to  blame  if  1  had  neglected  to  recom- 
mend to  you  this  Hebridean  prince,  in  whose  island  we 
were  hospitably  entertained.  1  ever  am  with  respect- 
ful attachment,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  obliged 

"  And  most  humble  servant, 

"  James  Bos  well." 

Mr.  Maclean  returned  with  the  most  agreeable  ac- 
jcounts  of  the  polite  attention  with  which  he  was  re- 
ceived by  Dr.  Johnson. 

In  the  course  of  this  year  Dr.  Burney  informs  me 
that  "  he  very  frequently  met  Dr.  Johnson  at  Mr. 
Thrale's,  at  Streatham,  where  they  had  many  long  con- 
versations, often  sitting  up  as  long  as  the  fire  and  can- 
dles lasted,  and  much  longer  than  the  patience  of  the 
servants  subsisted." 

A  few  of  Johnson's  sayings,  which  that  gentleman 
recollects,  shall  here  be  inserted. 

"  I  never  take  a  nap  after  dinner  but  when  I  have 
had  a  bad  night,  and  then  the  nap  takes  me." 

"  The  writer  of  an  epitaph  should  not  be  considered 
as  saying  nothing  but  what  is  strictly  true.  Allowance 
must  be  made  for  some  degree  of  exaggerated  praise. 
In  lapidary  inscriptions  a  man  is  not  upon  oath." 

"  There  is  now  less  flogging  in  our  great  schools  than 
formerl}',  but  then  less  is  learned  there ;  so  that  what 
the  boys  get  at  one  end  they  lose  at  the  other." 

"  More  is  learned  in  publick  than  in  private  schools, 
from  emulation  ;  there  is  the  collision  of  mind  with 
mind,  or  the  radiation  of  many  minds  pointing  to  one 
centre.  Though  few  boys  make  their  own  exercises, 
yet  if  a  good  exercise  is  given  up,  out  of  a  great  num- 
ber of  boys,  it  is  made  by  somebody." 

"  I  hate  by-roads  in  education.  Education  is  as  well 
known,  and  has  long  been  as  well  known,  as  ever  it 
can  be.     Endeavouring  to  make  children  prematurely 


DR.    JOHNSON.  221 

wise  is  useless  labour.     Suppose  they  have  moie  knowl-  J775. 
edge  at  five  or  six  years  old  than  other  children,  what  ^Jrj^ 
use  can  be  made  ot"  it  ?  It  will  be  lost  before  it  is  want-   (,(>. 
ed,  and  the   waste  of  so  much  time  and  labour  of  the 
teacher  can  never  be  rei)aid.     Too  much  is  expected 

from  precocity,  and  too  little  performed.     Miss 

was  an  instance  of  early  cultivation,  but  in  what  did  it 
terminate  I  In  marrying  a  little  Presbyterian  parson, 
who  keeps  an  infant  boardins^-school,  so  that  all  her 
employment  now  is, 

*  To  suckle  fools,  and  chronicle  small-beer.' 

She  tells  the  children,  '  This  is  a  cat,  and  that  is  a  dog, 
with  four  legs  and  a  tail ;  see  there  !  you  are  much  bet- 
ter than  a  cat  or  a  dog,  for  you  can  speak.'  If  I  had  be- 
stowed such  an  education  on  a  daughter,  and  had  dis- 
covered that  she  thought  of  marrying  such  a  fellow,  I 
would  have  sent  her  to  the  Com^-ress" 

"  After  having  talked  slightingly  of  musick,  he  was 
observed  to  listen  very  attentively  while  Miss  Thrale 
played  on  the  harpsichord,  and  with  eagerness  he  called 
to  her,  '  Why  don^t  you  dash  away  like  Burney  V  Dr. 
Burney  upon  this  said  to  him,  '  I  believe.  Sir,  we  shall 
make  a  musician  of  you  at  last.^  Johnson  with  candid 
complacency  replied,  '  Sir,  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  a 
new  sense  given  to  me." 

"  He  had  come  down  one  morning  to  the  breakfast- 
room,  and  been  a  considerable  time  by  himself  before 
any  body  appeared.  When  on  a  subsequent  day  he 
was  twitted  by  Mrs.  Thrale  for  being  very  late,  which 
he  generally  was,  he  defended  himself  by  alluding  to 
the  extraordinary  morning,  when  he  had  been  too  early. 
'  Madam,  I  do  not  like  to  come  down  to  vacuittf.^^ 

"  Dr.  Burney  having  remarked  that  Mr.  Garrick  was 
beginning  to  look  old,  he  said,  "  Why,  Sir,  you  are  not       / 
to  wonder  at  that ;  no  man's  face  has  had  more  wear      V. 
and  tear." 

Not  having  heard  from  him  for  a  longer  time  than  I 
supposed  he  would  be  silent,  1  wrote  to  him  December 
18,  not  in  good  spirits.     "  Sometimes  I  have  been  afraid 


222  THE    LIFE    OF 

1775.  that  the  cold  which  has  gone  over  Europe  this  year  hke 

^^J^  a  sort  of  pestilence  has  seized  you  severely  :  sometimes 

66.    my  imagination,  which  is  upon  occasions  prolifick  of 

evil,  hath  figured  that  you  may  have  somehow  taken 

offence  at  some  part  of  my  conduct." 

"  TO  JAMES    BOSWELL,    ESQ. 
''   DEAR  SIR, 

"  Never  dream  of  any  offence.  How  should  you 
offend  me?  I  consider  your  friendship  as  a  possession, 
which  I  intend  to  hold  till  you  take  it  from  me,  and  to 
lament  if  ever  by  my  fault  I  should  lose  it.  However, 
when  such  suspicions  find  their  way  into  your  mind, 
always  give  them  vent ;  I  shall  make  haste  to  disperse 
them  ;  but  hinder  their  first  ingress  if  you  can.  Con- 
sider such  thoughts  as  morbid. 

"  Such  illness  as  may  excuse  my  omission  to  Lord 
Hailes,  I  cannot  honestly  plead.  I  have  been  hindered, 
I  know  not  how,  by  a  succession  of  petty  obstructions. 
I  hope  to  mend  immediately,  and  to  send  next  post  to 
his  Lordship.  Mr.  Thrale  would  have  written  to  you 
if  1  had  omitted  ;  he  sends  his  compliments  and  wishes 
to  see  you. 

"  You  and  your  lady  will  now  have  no  more  wrang- 
ling about  feudal  inheritance.  How  does  the  young 
Laird  of  Auchinleck  ?  I  suppose  Miss  Veronica  is  grown 
a  reader  and  discourser. 

"  I  have  just  now  got  a  cough,  but  it  has  never  yet 
hindered  me  from  sleeping  ;  1  have  had  quieter  nights 
than  are  common  with  me. 

"  I  cannot  but  rejoice  that  Joseph  ^  has  had  the  wit 
to  find  the  way  back.  He  is  a  fine  fellow,  and  one  of 
the  best  travellers  in  the  world. 

"  Young  Col  brought  me  your  letter.  He  is  a  very 
pleasing  youth.  1  took  him  two  days  ago  to  the  Mitre, 
and  we  dined  together.  I  was  as  civil  as  I  had  the 
means  of  being. 

'  Josepli  Ritter  a  Boliemian,  who  was  in  my  service  many  years,  and  attended 
Dr.  Johnson  and  me  in  our  Tour  to  the  Htb:  ides.  After  having  left  mc  for  somo 
time,  he  had  now  returned  to  mc. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  223 

"  I  liave  had  a  letter  from  Rassy,  acknowledging,  i77(>. 
with  great  appearance  of  satisfaction,  the  insertion  in  ^[^ 
the  Edinburgh  paper.     I  am  very  glad  that  it  was  done.     07.' 

"  My  couiphments  to  Mrs.  Uoswcll,  wlio  does  not 
love  me  ;  and  of  all  the  rest,  1  need  only  send  them  to 
those  that  do;  and  1  am  afraid  it  will  give  you  very 
little  trouble  to  distribute  them,  lam,  my  dear,  dear 
Sir, 

"  Your  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  December  23,  \77o.  '•  Sam.  Johnson." 

In  1776,  Johnson  wrote,  so  far  as  I  can  discover, 
nothing  for  the  publick  :  but  that  his  mind  was  still 
ardent,  and  fraught  with  generous  wishes  to  attain  to 
still  higher  degrees  of  literary  excellence,  is  proved  by 
his  private  notes  of  this  year,  which  1  shall  insert  in 
their  proper  place. 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,    ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  at  last  sent  you  all  Lord  Hailes's  papers. 
While  I  was  in  France,  I  looked  very  often  into  \{q- 
nault ;  but  Lord  Hailes,  in  my  opinion,  leaves  him  far 
and  far  behind.  Why  1  did  not  dispatch  so  short  a  pe- 
rusal sooner,  when  1  look  back,  1  am  utterly  unable  to 
discover  :  but  human  moments  are  stolen  away  by  a 
thousand  petty  impediments  which  leave  no  trace  be- 
hind them.  I  have  been  afflicted,  through  the  whole 
Christmas,  with  the  general  disorder,  of  which  the  worst 
effect  was  a  cough,  which  is  now  much  mitigated, 
though  the  country,  on  which  I  look  from  a  window  at 
Streatham,  is  now  covered  with  a  deep  snow.  iNIrs. 
Williams  is  very  ill :  every  body  else  is  as  usual. 

"  Among  the  papers,  I  found  a  letter  to  you,  which 
I  think  you  had  not  opened  ;  and  a  paper  for  '  The 
Chronicle,'  which  I  suppose  is  not  necessary  now  to 
insert.     I  return  them  both. 

"  I  have,  within  these  few  days,  had  the  honour  of 
receiving  Lord  Hailes's  first  volume,  for  which  1  return 
my  most  respectful  thanks. 


224  IHK    LIFE    OF 

1776.      "  I  wish  you,  my  clearest  friend,  and  your  haughty 

^^^  lady,  (for  1  know  she  does  not  love  me,)  and  the  young 

67.    ladies,  and  the  young  Laird,  ail  happiness.     Teach  the 

young  gentleman,  in  spite  of  his  mamma,  to  think  and 

speak  well  of,  Sir, 

"  Your  affectionate  humble  servant, 
"  Jan.  10,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

At  this  time  was  in  agitation  a  matter  of  great  con- 
sequence to  me  and  my  family,  which  I  should  not 
obtrude  upon  the  world,  were  it  not  that  the  part  which 
Dr.  Johnson's  friendship  for  me  made  him  take  in  it, 
was  the  occasion  of  an  exertion  of  his  abilities,  which 
it  would  be  injustice  to  conceal.  That  what  he  wrote 
upon  the  subject  may  be  understood,  it  is  necessary  to 
give  a  state  of  the  question,  which  1  shall  do  as  briefly 
as  a  I  can. 

In  the  year  1504,  the  barony  or  manour  of  Auchin- 
leck,  (pronounced  AJfieck^  in  Aryshire,  which  be- 
longed to  a  familv  of  the  same  name  with  the  lands, 
having  fallen  to  the  Crown  by  forfeiture,  James  the 
Fourth,  King  of  Scotland,  granted  it  to  Thomas  Bos- 
well,  a  branch  of  an  ancient  family  in  the  county  of 
Fife,  stiling  him  in  the  charter,  "  dilecto  familiari  nos- 
fro ;"  and  assigning,  as  the  cause  of  the  grant,  pro  bono 
etjideli  servitio  nobis  prcestito."  Thomas  Boswell  was 
slain  in  battle,  fighting  along  with  his  Sovereign,  at  the 
fatal  field  of  Floddon,  in  1513. 

From  this  very  honourablefounder  of  our  family,  the 
estate  was  transmitted,  in  a  direct  series  of  heirs  male, 
to  David  Boswell,  my  father's  great  grand  uncle,  who 
had  no  sons,  but  four  daughters,  who  were  all  respect- 
ably married,  the  eldest  to  Lord  Cathcart. 

David  Boswell,  being  resolute  in  the  military  feudal 
principle  of  continuing  the  male  succession,  passed  by 
his  daughters,  and  settled  the  estate  on  his  nephew  by 
his  next  brother,  who  approved  of  the  deed,  and  re- 
nounced any  pretensions  which  he  might  possibly  have, 
in  preference  to  his  son.  But  the  estate  having  been  bur- 
thened  with  large  portions  to  the  daughters,  and  other 
debts,  it  was  necessary  for  the  nephew  to  sell  a  consid- 


DH.    JOHNSON.  9'2^ 

crahlo  part  of  it,  and  what  remained  was  still  much  en-  i/?!). 
cumbered.  zEtaT. 

The  fruG^ality  of  the  nephew  preserved,  and,  in  some  G7. 
degree,  relieved  the  estate.  His  son,  my  grandfather, 
an  eminent  lawyer,  not  only  re-purchased  a  great  part 
of  what  had  been  sold,  but  acquired  other  lands  ;  and 
mv  father,  who  was  one  of  the  Judges  of  Scotland,  and 
had  added  considerably  to  the  estate,  now  signified  his 
inclination  to  take  the  privilege  allowed  by  our  law,'  to 
secure  it  to  his  family  in  perpetuity  by  an  entail,  which, 
on  account  of  his  marriage  articles,  could  not  be  done 
without  my  consent. 

In  the  plan  of  entailing  the  estate,!  heartily  concurred 
with  him,  though  I  was  the  first  to  be  restrained  by  it ; 
but  we  unhappily  differed  as  to  the  series  of  heirs  wliich 
should  be  established,  or  in  the  language  of  our  law, 
called  to  the  succession.  My  father  had  declared  a 
predilection  for  heirs  general,  that  is,  males  and  fe- 
males indiscriminately.  He  was  willing,  however,  that 
all  males  descending  from  his  grandfather,  should  be 
preferred  to  females ;  but  would  not  extend  that  privi- 
lege to  males  deriving  their  descent  from  a  higher 
source.  I,  on  the  other  hand,  had  a  zealous  partiality 
for  heirs  male,  however  remote,  which  I  maintained 
by  arguments  which  appeared  to  me  to  have  consider- 
able weight.^     And  in  the  particular  case  of  our  family, 

'  Acts  of  Parliament  of  Scotland,  1 685,  Cap.  22. 

^  As  first,  the  opinion  of  some  distinguished  naturalists,  tliat  our  speties  is  trans- 
mitted through  males  only,  the  female  being  all  along  no  more  than  a  ;//Vi//,  or 
nurse,  as  Mother  Earth  is  to  plants  of  every  sort ;  which  notion  seems  to  be  con- 
firmed by  that  text  of  scripture,  "  He  was  yet  in  the  loins  of  Lis  faiher  when  Mel- 
chisedeck  met  him  ;"  (Heb.  vii.  10.)  and  consequently,  that  a  man's  grandson  by  a. 
daughter,  instead  of  being  his  surest  descendant,  as  is  vulgarly  said,  has,  in  reality, 
no  connection  whatever  with  his  blood. —  And  secondly,  independent  of  this  theo- 
ry, (which,  if  true,  should  completely  exclude  heirs  general,)  that  if  the  preference 
of  a  male  to  a  female,  without  regard  to  primogeniture,  (as  a  son,  though  much 
younger,  nay,  even  a  grandson  by  a  son,  to  a  daughter,)  be  once  admitted,  as  it  uni- 
versally is,  it  must  be  equally  reasonable  and  proper  in  the  most  remote  degree  of 
descent  from  an  original  proprietor  of  an  estate,  as  in  the  nearest  -,  because, — 
however  distant  from  the  representative  at  the  time, — that  remote  heir  male,  upon 
the  failure  of  tliose  nearer  to  the  original  prcfrietor  than  he  is,  becomes  in  fact  the 
nearest  male  to  bim,  and  is,  therefore,  preferable  as  his  representative,  to  a  female 
descendant. — A  little  extension  of  mind  will  enable  us  easily  to  perceive  that  a  son's 
son,  in  continuation  to  whatever  length  of  time,  is  preferable  to  a  son's  daughter, 
in  the  succession  to  an  ancient  inheritance;  in  which  regard  should  be  had  to  the 
representation  of  the  original  proprietor,  and  not  to  that  of  one  of  his  descendants. 

VOL.  II.  29 


296  THE    LIFE    OF 

i77fi.  I  apprehended  that  we  were  under  an  imphed  obliga- 

SaT  ^^^^"'  ^"  honour  and  good  faith,  to  transmit  the  estate 

67,     by  the  same   tenure   which   we  held  it,  which  was  as 

heirs  male,  excluding  nearer  females.     I  therefore,  as 

1    thought  conscientiously,    objected    to    my  father's 

scheme. 

My  opposition  was  very  displeasing  to  my  father, 
who  was  entitled  to  great  respect  and  deference  ;  and 
I  had  reason  to  apprehend  disagreeable  consequences 
from  my  non-compliance  with  his  wishes.  After  much 
perplexity  and  uneasiness,  I  wrote  to  Dr.  Johnson, 
stating  the  case,  with  all  its  difficulties,  at  full  length, 
and  earnestly  requesting  that  he  would  consider  it  at 
leisure,  and  favour  me  with  his  friendly  opinion  and 
advice. 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,    ESQ. 
"    DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  WAS  much  impressed  by  yovu*  letter,  and  if  1 
can  form  upon  your  case  any  resolution  satisfactory  to 
myself,  will  very  gladly  impart  it  :  but  whether  I  am 
equal  to  it,  I  do  not  know.  It  is  a  case  compounded 
of  law  and  justice,  and  requires  a  mind  versed  in  jurid- 
ical disquisitions.  Could  not  you  tell  your  whole 
mind  to  Lord  Hailes  ?  He  is,  you  know,  both  a  Chris- 
tian and  a  Lawyer.  I  suppose  he  is  above  partiality, 
and  above  loquacity  :  and,  I  believe,  he  will  not  think 
the  time  lost  in  which  he  may  quiet  a  disturbed,  or 
settle  a  wavering  mind.  Write  to  me,  as  any  thing 
occurs  to  you  ;  and  if  1  find  myself  stopped  by  want 
of  facts  necessary  to  be  known,  1  will  make  enquiries 
of  you  as  my  doubts  arise. 

"  If  your  former  resolutions  should  be  found  only 
fanciful,  you  decide  rightly  in  judging  that  your  father's 
fancies  may  claim  the  preference  ;  but  whether  they 

I  am  aware  of  Blackstone's  admirable  demonstration  of  the  reasonableness  of 
the  legal  succession,  upon  the  principle  of  there  being-  the  greatest  probability 
that  the  nearest  heir  of  the  person  who  last  dies  proprietor  of  an  estate,  is  of  the 
blood  of  the  first  purchaser.  But  supposing  a  pedigree  to  be  carefully  authenti- 
cated through  all  its  branches,  instead  of  mere  piubability  there  will  be  a  certainty 
that  the  nearest  bar  maU,  at  zukate-ver  period,  has  the  samc  right  of  blood  with  the 
first  heir  male,  namely,  tbt  original  purchaser  s  eldest  so/;. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  237 

are  tanciful  or  raliona!,  is  the  (luestion.     1  really  think  '77*''- 
Lord  llailes  coiikl  help  us.  ^.ua. 

"  iNIake    my   compliments   to   clear   Mrs.    lioswell  ;    uy. 
and  tell  her,  tiiat  1  hope  to  be  wantin^^  in  nothing  that 
1  can  contribute  to  bring  you  all  out  of  your  troubles. 
I  am,  dear  Sir,  most  aftectionately, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 
•'  London,  Jan.  lo,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

TO  THE  SAME. 
"  DK.SR  SIR, 

"  1  AM  going  to  write  upon  a  question  which  re- 
quires more  knowledge  of  local  law,  and  more  ac- 
quaintance with  the  general  rules  of  inheritance,  than 
1  can  claim  ;  but  I  write,  because  you  request  it. 

"  Land  is,  like  any  other  possession,  by  natural 
right  wholly  in  the  power  of  its  present  owner  ;  and 
may  be  sold,  given,  or  bequeathed,  absolutely  or  con- 
ditionally, as  judgement  shall   direct,  or  passion  incite. 

"  But  natural  right  would  avail  little  without  the 
protection  of  law  ;  and  the  primary  notion  of  law  is 
restraint  in  the  exercise  of  natural  ri^ht.  A  man  is 
therefore,  in  society,  not  fully  master  of  what  he  calls 
his  own,  but  he  still  retains  all  the  power  which  law 
does  not  take  from  him. 

"  In  the  exercise  of  the  right  which  law  either 
leaves  or  gives,  regard  is  to  be  paid  to  moral  obliga- 
tions. 

"  Of  the  estate  which  we  are  now  considering,  your 
father  still  retains  such  possession,  with  such  power 
over  it,  that  he  can  sell  it,  and  do  with  the  money  what 
he  will,  without  any  legal  impediment.  But  when  he 
extends  his  power  beyond  his  own  life,  by  settling  the 
order  of  succession,  the  law  makes  your  consent  neces- 
sary. 

"  Let  us  suppose  that  he  sells  the  land  to  risk  the 
money  in  some  specious  adventure,  and  in  that  adven- 
ture loses  the  whole  ;  his  posterity  would  be  disap- 
pointed ;  but  they  could  not  think  themselves  injured 
or  robbed.  If  he  spent  it  upon  vice  or  pleasure,  his 
successors  could  only  call  him   vicious  and  voluptu- 


228  THE    LIFE    OF 

J 776.  ous  ;  they  could  not  say  that  he  was  injurious  or  unjust. 

^^      "  He  that  may  do  more  may  do  less.     He  that,  by 

67. '  selling,  or  squandering,  may  disinherit  a  whole  family, 

may  certainly  disinherit  part,  by  a  partial  settlement, 

"•  Laws  are  formed  by  the  manners  and  exigencies 
of  particular  times,  and  it  is  but  accidental  that  they 
last  longer  than  their  causes  :  the  limitation  of  feudal 
succession  to  the  male  arose  from  the  obligation  of  the 
tenant  to  attend  his  chief  in  war. 

"  As  times  and  opinions  are  always  changing,  I 
know  not  whether  it  be  not  usurpation  to  prescribe 
rules  to  posterity,  by  presuming  to  judge  of  what  we 
cannot  know  •  and  I  know  not  whether  1  fully  approve 
either  your  design  or  your  father's,  to  limit  that  suc- 
cession which  descended  to  you  unlimited.  If  we  are 
to  leave  sartum  tectum  to  posterity,  what  we  have 
without  any  merit  of  our  own  received  from  our  ances- 
tors, should  not  choice  and  free-will  be  kept  unviolat- 
ed  I  Is  land  to  be  treated  with  more  reverence  than 
liberty  ? — If  this  consideration  should  restrain  your 
father  from  disinheriting  some  of  the  males,  does  it 
Jeaveyou  the  power  of  disinheriting  all  the  females? 

"  Can  the  possessor  of  a  feudal  estate  make  any 
will  ?  Can  he  appoint,  out  of  the  inheritance,  any  por- 
tions to  his  daughter  ?  There  seems  to  be  a  very 
shadowy  difference  between  the  power  of  leaving  land, 
and  of  leaving  money  to  be  raised  from  land  ;  between 
leaving  an  estate  to  females,  and  leaving  the  male  heir, 
in  etfect,  only  their  steward. 

"  Suppose  at  one  time  a  law  that  allowed  only 
males  to  inherit,  and  during  the  continuance  of  this 
law  many  estates  to  have  descended,  passing  by  the 
females,  to  remoter  heirs.  Suppose  afterwards  the  law 
repealed  in  correspondence  with  a  change  of  manners, 
and  women  made  capable  of  inheritance  ;  would  not 
then  the  tenure  of  estates  be  changed  ?  Could  the 
women  have  no  benefit  from  a  law  made  in  their  fa- 
vour ?  Must  they  be  passed  by  upon  moral  principles 
for  ever,  because  they  were  once  excluded  by  a  legal 
prohibition  !  Or  may  that  whi^h  passed  only  to  maleg 
])y  one  law,  pass  likewise  to  females  by  another  ? 


DR.    JOHNSON.  229 

"  You  mention  your  resolution  to  maintain  the  right  '776. 
of  your  brother  :^  1  do  not  see  how  any  of  their  rights  ^[^ 
are  invaded.  G?, 

"  As  your  whole  difficulty  arises  from  the  act  of 
your  ancestor,  who  diverted  the  succession  from  the 
females,  you  enquire,  very  properly,  what  were  his 
motives,  and  what  was  his  intention  ;  for  you  certainly 
are  not  bound  by  his  act  more  than  he  intended  to 
bind  you,  nor  hold  your  land  on  harder  or  stricter 
terms  than  those  on  which  it  was  granted. 

"  Intentions  must  be  gathered  from  acts.  When  he 
left  the  estate  to  his  nephew,  by  excluding  his  daugh- 
ters, was  it,  or  was  it  not,  in  his  power  to  have  perpet- 
uated the  succession  to  the  males  ?  If  he  could  have 
done  it,  he  seems  to  have  shewn,  by  omitting  it,  that 
he  did  not  desire  it  to  be  done,  and,  upon  your  own 
principles,  you  will  not  easily  prove  your  right  to  de- 
stroy that  capacity  of  succession  which  your  ancestors 
have  left. 

"  If  your  ancestor  had  not  the  power  of  making  a 
perpetual  settlement  ;  and  if,  therefore,  we  cannot 
judge  distinctly  of  his  intentions,  yet  his  act  can  only 
be  considered  as  an  example  ;  it  makes  not  an  obliga- 
tion. And,  as  you  observe,  he  set  no  example  of  rigor- 
ous adherence  to  the  line  of  succession.  He  that 
overlooked  a  brother,  would  not  wonder  that  little  re- 
gard is  shewn  to  remote  relations. 

*'  As  the  rules  of  succession  are,  in  a  great  part, 
purely  legal,  no  man  can  be  supposed  to  bequeath  any- 
thing, but  upon  legal  terms  ;  he  can  grant  no  power 
which  the  law  denies  ;  and  if  he  makes  no  special  and 
definite  limitation,  he  confers  all  the  power  which  the 
law  allows. 

"  Your  ancestor,  for  some  reason,  disinherited  his 
daughters  ;  but  it  no  more  follows  that  he  intended 
this  act  as  a  rule  for  posterity,  than  the  disinheriting  of 
his  brother. 

"  If  therefore,  you  ask  by  what  right  your  father 
admits  daughters  to  inheritance,  ask  yourself,  first,  by 
what  right  you  require  them  to  be  excluded  ? 

Which  term  I  applied  to  all  the  heirs  male. 


230  THE    LIFE    OF 

i77fi.       "  It  appears,   upon  reflection,  that  your  father  ex- 
^fy  eludes  nobody  ;  he  only  admits  nearer  females  to  in- 
(17.  *  herit  before  males  more  remote  ;  and  the  exclusion  is 
purely  consequential. 

"  These,  dear  Sir,  are  my  thoughts,  immethodical 
and  deliberative ;  but,  perhaps,  you  may  find  in  them 
some  glimmering  of  evidence. 

"  I  cannot,  however,  but  again  recommend  to  you  a 
conference  with  Lord  Hailes,  whom  you  know  to  be 
both  a  Lawyer  and  a  Christian. 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Boswell,  though 
she  does  not  love  me.     I  am.  Sir, 

"Your  affectionate  servant, 
"  Feb.  3,   1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

I  had  followed  his  recommendation  and  consulted 
Lord  Hailes,  who  upon  this  subject  had  a  firm  opinion 
contrary  to  mine.  His  Lordship  obligingly  took  the 
trouble  to  write  me  a  letter,  in  which  he  discussed  with 
legal  and  historical  learning,  the  points  in  which  I  saw 
much  difficulty,  maintaining  that  "  the  succession  of 
heirs  general  was  the  succession,  by  the  law  of  Scot- 
land, from  the  throne  to  the  cottage,  as  far  as  we  can 
learn  it  by  record  ;"  observing  that  the  estate  of  our 
family  had  not  been  limited  to  heirs  male :  and  that 
though  an  heir  male  had  in  one  instance  been  chosen 
in  preference  to  nearer  females,  that  had  been  an  arbi- 
trary act,  which  had  seemed  to  be  best  in  the  embar- 
rassed state  of  affairs  at  that  time ;  and  the  fact  was, 
that  upon  a  fair  computation  of  the  value  of  land  and 
money  at  the  time,  applied  to  the  estate  and  the  bur- 
thens upon  it,  there  was  nothing  given  the  heir  male 
but  the  skeleton  of  an  estate.  "  The  plea  of  conscience 
(said  his  Lordship,)  which  you  put,  is  a  most  respect- 
able one,  especially  when  conscience  and  self  are  on 
different  sides.  But  I  think  that  conscience  is  not  well 
informed,  and  that  self  and  she  ought  on  this  occasion 
to  be  of  a  side." 

This  letter,  which  had  considerable  influence  upon 
my  mind,  1  sent  to  Dr.  Johnson,  begging  to  hear  from 
him  again,  upon  this  interesting  question. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  2:il 

''!>. 
"  TO  JAMES    HOSWELL,  ESQ.  v^,-^ 

•    DEAR  SIR,  4i7. 

"  IIavinc  not  any  acquaintance  with  the  laws  ov 
customs  of  Scotland,  1  cndcavourctl  to  consider  your 
qucstiou  upon  general  priuciplcs,  and  found  nothing  oi' 
much  validity  that  1  could  oppose  to  this  position: 
*•  lie  wiio  inherits  a  fief  unlimited  by  his  ancestors,  in- 
herits the  power  of  limitin;;-  it  according  to  his  own 
judgement  or  opinion/  If  this  be  true,  you  may  join 
with  your  father. 

"  Further  consideration  produces  another  conclu- 
sion :  '  He  who  receives  a  fief  unlimited  by  his  ances- 
tors, gives  his  heirs  some  reason  to  complain,  if  he  does 
not  transmit  it  unlimited  to  posterity.  For  why  should 
he  make  the  state  of  others  worse  than  his  own,  with- 
out a  reason  !'  If  this  be  true,  though  neither  you  nor 
your  father  are  about  to  do  what  is  quite  right,  but  as 
your  father  violates  (I  think)  the  legal  succession  least, 
he  seems  to  be  nearer  the  right  than  yourself. 

"  It  cannot  but  occur  that  '  Women  have  natural  and 
equitable  claims  as  well  as  men,  and  these  claims  are 
not  to  be  capriciously  or  lightly  superseded  or  infring- 
ed.^ When  fiefs  implied  military  service,  it  is  easily 
discerned  why  females  could  not  inherit  them  ;  but  that 
reason  is  now  at  an  end.  As  manners  make  laws,  man- 
ners likewise  repeal  them. 

"  These  are  the  general  conclusions  which  I  have  at- 
tained. None  of  them  are  very  favourable  to  your 
scheme  of  entail,  nor  perhaps  to  any  scheme.  My  ob- 
servation, that  only  he  who  acquires  an  estate  may  be- 
queath it  capriciously,-^  if  it  contains  any  conviction, 
includes  this  position  likewise,  that  only  he  who  ac- 
quires an  estate  may  entail  it  capriciously.  But  1  think 
it  may  be  safely  presumed,  that  '  he  who  inherits  an 
estate,  inherits  all  the  power  legally  concomitant ;'  and 
that  '  He  who  gives  or  leaves  unlimited  an  estate  legal- 
ly limitable,  must  be  presumed  to  give  that  power  of 
limitation  which  he  omitted  to  take  away,  and  to  com- 
mit future  contingencies  to  future  prudence.'     In  these 

"  I  had  reminded  him  of  his  observation  mentioned,  p.  lOO. 


232  IHE    LIFE    OP 

1776.  two  positions  1  believe  Lord  Hailes  will  advise  you  to 
^^  rest ;  every  other  notion  of  possession  seems  to  me  full 
67.    of  difficulties,  and  embarrassed  with  scruples. 

"  If  these  axioms  be  allowed,  you  have  arrived  now 
at  full  liberty  without  the  help  of  particular  circum- 
stances, which,  however,  have  in  your  case  great  weight. 
You  very,  rightly  observe,  that  he  who  passing  by  his 
brother  gave  the  inheritance  to  his  nephew,  could  lim- 
it no  more  than  he  gave  ;  and  by  Lord  Hailes's  esti- 
mate of  fourteen  years'  purchase,  what  he  gave  was  no 
more  than  you  may  easily  entail  according  to  your  own 
opinion,  if  that  opinion  should  finally  prevail. 

"  Lord  Hailes's  suspicion  that  entails  are  encroach- 
ments on  the  dominion  of  Providence,  may  be  extend- 
ed to  all  hereditary  privileges  and  all  permanent  insti- 
tutions ;  I  do  not  see  why  it  may  not  be  extended  to 
any  provision  for  the  present  hour,  since  all  care  about 
futurity  proceeds  upon  a  supposition,  that  we  know  at 
least  in  some  degree  what  will  be  future.  Of  the  fu- 
ture we  certainly  know  nothing  ;  but  we  may  form  con- 
jectures from  the  past ;  and  the  power  of  forming  con- 
jectures, includes,  in  my  opinion,  the  duty  of  acting  in 
conformity  to  that  probability  which  we  discover. 
Providence  gives  the  power,  of  which  reason  teaches 
the  use.     I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  faithful  servant, 

"  Feb.  9,  1776.  "  Sam.  JohxXson.^' 

"  I  hope  I  shall  get  some  ground  now  with  Mrs. 
Boswell ;  make  my  compliments  to  her,  and  to  the  lit- 
tle people. 

"  Don't  burn  papers ;  they  may  be  safe  enough  in 
your  own  box, — you  will  wish  to  see  them  hereafter." 

TO  THE  SAME. 
"   DEAR  SIR, 

"  To  the  letters  which  I  have  written  about  your 
great  (question  I  have  nothing  to  add.  If  your  con- 
science is  satisfied,  you  have  now  only  your  prudence 
to  consult.     I  long  for  a  letter,  that  1  may  know  how 


DR.    JOHNSON.  fS.1 

this  troublesome  and  vexatious  question  is  at  last  de-  177^^". 
cided.'  1  hope  that  it  will  at  last  end  well.  J^<^''<^' ^iT^"^ 
Hailos's  letter  was  very  friendly,  and  very  seasonable,  (,7/ 
but  I  think  his  aversion  from  entails  has  somethin<^  in 
it  like  superstition.  Providence  is  not  counteracted  by 
anv  means  which  i^rovidence  puts  into  our  power.  Ihe 
continuance  and  propagation  of  families  makes  a  j^reat 
part  of  the  Jewish  law,  and  is  by  no  means  prohibited 
in  the  Christian  institution,  though  the  necessity  of  it 
continues  no  longer.  Hereditary  tenures  are  establish- 
ed in  all  civilized  countries,  and  are  accompanied  in 
most  with  hereditary  authority.  Sir  William  Temple 
considers  our  constitution  as  defective,  that  there  is  not 
an  unalienable  estate  in  land  connected  with  a  peerage  : 
and  Lord  Bacon  mentions  as  a  proof  that  the  Turks  are 
Barbarians,  their  want  of  Stirpes^  as  he  calls  them,  or 
hereditary  rank.  Do  not  let  your  mind,  when  it  is  freed 
from  the  supposed  necessity  of  a  rigorous  entail,  be  en- 
tangled with  contrary  objections,  and  think  all  entails 
unlawful,  till  you  have  cogent  arguments,  which  1  be- 
lieve you  will  never  find.     1  am  afraid  of  scniplcs. 

"  1  have  now  sent  all  Lord  llaile's  papers;  part  I 
found  hidden  in  a  drawer  in  which  I  had  laid  them  for 
security,  and  had  forgotten  them.  Part  of  these  are 
written  twice ;  1  have  returned  both  the  copies.  Part 
I  had  read  before. 

"  Be  so  kind  as  to  return  Lord  Ilailes  my  most  res- 
pectful thanks  for  his  first  volume  :  his  accuracy  strikes 
me  with  wonder;  his  narrative  is  far  superiour  to  that 
of  Henault,  as  1  have  formerly  mentioned. 

"  I  am  afraid  that  the  trouble,  which  my  irregularity 
and  delay  has  cost  him,  is  greater,  far  greater,  than  any 
good  that  I  can  do  him  will  ever  recompense ;  but  if  I 
have  any  more  copy,  1  will  try  to  do  better. 

»  The  entail  framed  by  my  father  with  various  judicious  clauses,  was  settled  by 
him  and  me,  settling  the  estate  upon  the  heirs  male  of  his  grandfather,  which  I 
found  had  been  already  done  by  my  grandfather,  imperfectly,  but  so  as  to  be  de- 
feated only  by  selling  the  lands.  I  was  freed  by  Dr.  Johnson  from  scruples  of 
conscientious  obligation,  and  could,  therefore,  gratify  my  father.  But  my  opinion 
and  partiaUty  for  male  succession,  in  its  full  extent,  remained  unshaken.  Yet  let 
me  not  be  thought  harsh  or  unkind  to  daughters :  for  my  notion  is,  that  they 
should  be  treated  with  great  affection  and  tenderness,  and  always  participnte  of 
'he  prosperity  of  the  famih^ 

VOT,.  IT,  ."iO 


23'h  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.      "  Pray  let  me  know  if  Mrs.  Bosvvell  is  friends  with 
^^  me,  and  pay  my  respects  to  Veronica,  and  Euphemia, 
67.    and  Alexander.     1  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  February  15,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"    MR.   BOSWELL   TO  DR.   JOHNSON. 

"  Edinburgh,  Feb.  20,   1776. 
****** 

"  You  have  illuminated  my  mind,  and  relieved 
me  from  imaginary  shackles  of  conscientious  obligation. 
Were  it  necessary,  I  could  immediately  join  in  an  en- 
tail upon  the  series  of  heirs  approved  by  my  father  ;  but 
it  is  better  not  to  act  too  suddenly." 

"     DR.  JOHNSON    TO  MR.  BOSWELL. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  AM  glad  that  what  I  could  think  or  say  has 
at  all  contributed  to  quiet  your  thoughts.  Your  reso- 
lution not  to  act,  till  your  opinion  is  confirmed  by 
more  deliberation,  is  very  just.  If  you  have  been 
scrupulous,  do  not  be  rash.  I  hope  that  as  you  think 
more,  and  take  opportunities  of  talking  with  men  intel- 
ligent in  questions  of  property,  you  will  be  able  to  free 
yourself  from  every  difficulty. 

"  When   I  wrote  last,  1  sent,  I  think,  ten  packets. 
Did  you  receive  them  all  ? 

"  You  must  tell  Mrs.  Bosvvell  that  I  suspected  her 
to  have  written  without  your  knowledge,^  and  there- 
^     fore  did  not  return  any  answer,  lest  a  clandestine  cor- 
respondence should  have  been  perniciously  discovered. 
I  will  write  to  her  soon.     *****  *^ 
"  1  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Most  affectionately  yours, 
"  Feb.  24,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

Having   communicated   to    Lord   Hailes  what   Dr. 
Johnson   wrote  concerning  the  question   which    per- 

*  A  letter  to  liim  on  Uie  interesting  subject  of  the  family  settlement,  which  I 
liad  read. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  233 

plexed  me  so  much,  his  Lordship  wrote  to  me  ;  "  Your  W76. 
scruples  have  proihiced  uiore  fruit  thau  I  ever  expected  ^^^ 
from  them  ;  an  excellcut  dissertation  on  general  princi-   (j;. 
pies  of  morals  and  law," 

I  wrote  to  Dr.  Johnson  on  the  20th  of  February, 
complaining  of  melancholy,  and  expressing  a  strong 
desire  to  be  with  him  ;  informing  him  that  the  ten 
packets  came  all  safe  ;  that  Lord  llailes  was  much 
obliged  to  him,  and  said  he  had  almost  wholly  remov- 
ed his  scruples  against  entails. 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,    ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  not  had  your  letter  half  an  hour  :  as 
you  lay  so  much  weight  upon  my  notions,  1  should 
think  it  not  just  to  delay  my  answer. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  that  your  melancholy  should  re- 
turn, and  should  be  sorry  likewise  if  it  could  have  no 
relief  but  from  my  company.  My  counsel  you  may 
have  when  you  are  pleased  to  require  it  ;  but  of  my 
company  you  cannot  in  the  next  month  have  much, 
for  Mr.  Thrale  will  take  me  to  Italy,  he  says,  on  the 
first  of  Apiil. 

"  Let  me  warn  you  very  earnestly  against  scruples. 
I  am  glad  that  you  are  reconciled  to  your  settlement, 
and  think  it  a  great  honour  to  have  shaken  Lord 
Hailes's  opinion  of  entails.  Do  not,  however,  hope 
wholly  to  reason  away  your  troubles  ;  do  not  feed 
them  with  attention,  and  they  will  die  imperceptibly 
away.  Fix  your  thoughts  upon  your  business,  fill  vour 
intervals  with  company,  and  sunshine  will  again  break 
in  upon  your  mind.  If  you  will  come  to  me,  you 
must  come  very  quickly  ;  and  even  then  I  know  not 
but  we  may  scour  the  country  together,  for  1  have  a 
mind  to  see  Oxford  and  Lichfield,  before  I  set  out  on 
this  long  journey.  To  this  I  can  only  add  that  I  am, 
dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  March  o,  177().  "  Sam.  Johnson." 


236  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776. 

TO  THE  SAME. 

"    DEAR  SIR, 

"  Very  early  in  April  we  leave  England,  and  in 
the  beginning  of  the  next  week  I  shall  leave  London 
for  a  short  time  ;  of  this  I  think  it  necessary  to  inform 
you,  that  you  may  not  be  disappointed  in  any  of  your 
enterprises.  1  had  not  fully  resolved  to  go  into  the 
country  before  this  day. 

"  Please  to  make  my  compliments  to  Lord  Hailes  ; 
and  mention  very  particularly  to  Mrs.  Boswell  my  hope 
that  she  is  reconciled  to,  Sir, 

"  Your  faithful  servant, 

"  March  12,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

Above  thirty  years  ago,  the  heirs  of  Lord  Chancel- 
lor Clarendon  presented  the  University  of  Oxford  with 
the  continuation  of  his  History,  and  such  other  of  his 
Lordship's  manuscripts  as  had  not  been  published,  on 
condition  that  the  profits  arising  from  their  publication 
should  be  applied  to  the  establishment  of  a  Manage,  in 
the  University.  The  gift  was  accepted  in  full  convo- 
cation. A  person  being  novt^  recommended  to  Dr. 
Johnson,  as  fit  to  superintend  this  proposed  riding- 
school,  he  exerted  himself  with  that  zeal  for  which  he 
was  remarkable  upon  every  similar  occasion.  But,  on 
enquiry  into  the  matter,  he  found  that  the  scheme  was 
not  likely  to  be  soon  carried  into  execution  ;  the  profits 
arising  from  the  Clarendon  press  being,  from  some  mis- 
management, very  scanty.  This  having  been  explain- 
ed  to  him  by  a  respectable  dignitary  of  the  church, 
who  had  good  means  of  knowing  it,  he  wrote  a  letter 
upon  the  subject,  which  at  once  exhibits  his  extraor- 
dinary precision  and  acuteness,  and  his  warm  attach- 
ment to  his  Alma  Mater. 

^'  TO  the  reverend  dr.  wetherell,  master  of 

UNIVERSITY-COLLEGE,  OXFORD. 
"•'    DEAR  SIR, 

"  Few  things  are  more  unpleasant  than  the  trans- 
action of  business  with  men  who  are  above  knowing  or 


DR.    JOHNSON.  937 

caring  what  they  have  to  do  ;  such  as  the  trustees  for  1776. 
Lord  Cornbury's  institution  will,  perliaps,  appear,  ^^^ 
when  you  have  read  Dr.  *******'s  letter.  G7. 

"  Tiie  last  part  of  the  Doctor's  letter  is  of  great 
importance.  The  complaint^  which  he  makes  1  have 
heard  long;  ago,  and  did  not  know  but  it  was  redressed. 
It  is  unhappy  that  a  practice  so  erroneous  has  not  been 
altered  ;  for  altered  it  must  be,  or  our  press  will  be 
useless  with  all  its  privileges.  The  booksellers,  who, 
like  all  other  men,  have  strong  prejudices  in  their  own 
favour,  are  enough  inclined  to  think  the  practice  of 
printing  and  selling  books  by  any  but  themselves,  an 
encroachment  on  the  rights  of  their  fraternity  ;  and 
have  need  of  stronger  inducements  to  circulate  academ- 
ical publications  than  those  of  another  ;  for,  of  that 
mutual  co-operation  by  which  the  general  trade  is  car- 
ried on,  the  University  can  bear  no  part.  Of  those 
whom  he  neither  loves  nor  fears,  and  from  whom  he 
expects  no  reciprocation  of  good  offices,  why  should 
any  man  promote  the  interest  but  for  profit  ?  1  suppose, 
with  all  our  scholastick  ignorance  of  mankind,  we  are 
still  too  knowing  to  expect  that  the  booksellers  will 
erect  themselves  into  patrons,  and  buy  and  sell  under 
the  influence  of  a  disinterested  zeal  for  the  promotion 
of  learning. 

"  To  the  booksellers,  if  we  look  for  either  honour 
or  profit  from  our  press,  not  only  their  common  profit, 
but  something  more  must  be  allowed  ;  and  if  books, 
printed  at  Oxford,  are  expected  to  be  rated  at  a  high 
price,  that  price  must  be  levied  on  the  publick,  and 
paid  by  the  ultimate  purchaser,  not  by  the  intermedi- 
ate agents.  What  price  shall  be  set  upon  the  book,  is, 
to  the  booksellers,  wholly  indifl'erent,  provided  that 
they  gain  a  proportionate  profit  by  negociating  the 
sale. 

"  Why  books  printed  at  Oxford  should  be  particu- 
larly dear,  I  am,  however,  unable  to  find.  We  pay  no 
rent  ;  we  inherit  many  of  our  instruments  and  mate- 
rials ;  lodging  and   victuals  are  cheaper  than  at  Lou:- 

'  1  suppose  the  complaint  was,  that  the  trustees  of  the  Oxford  press  did  not  aU 
'low  the  Londpo  bookseUert  a  sufficient  profit  upon  vending  their  publication''. 


23S  THE    LIFE    OF 

177G.  don  ;  and,  therefore,  workmanship  ought,  at  least,  not 
^^^  to  be  dearer.  Our  expences  are  naturally  less  than 
67.  those  of  booksellers  ;  and  in  most  cases,  communities 
are  content  with  less  profit  than  individuals. 

"  It  is,  perhaps,  not  considered  through  how  many 
hands  a  book  often  passes,  before  it  comes  into  those 
of  the  reader  ;  or  what  part  of  the  profit  each  hand 
must  retain,  as  a  motive  for  transmitting  it  to  the  next. 

"  We  will  call  our  primary  agent  in  London,  Mr. 
Cadell,  who  receives  our  books  from  us,  gives  them 
room  in  his  warehouse,  and  issues  them  on  demand  ; 
by  him  they  are  sold  to  Mr.  Dilly,  a  wholesale  book- 
seller, who  sends  them  into  the  country  ;  and  the  last 
seller  is  the  country  bookseller.  Here  are  three  prof- 
its to  be  paid  between  the  printer  and  the  reader,  or  in 
the  style  of  commerce,  between  the  manufacturer  and 
the  consumer  ;  and  if  any  of  these  profits  is  too  penu- 
riously  distributed,  the  process  of  commerce  is  inter- 
rupted. 

"  We  are  now  come  to  the  practical  question,  what 
is  to  be  done  ?  You  will  tell  me,  with  reason,  that  I 
have  said  nothing,  till  I  declare  how  much,  according 
to  my  opinion,  of  the  ultimate  price  ought  to  be  dis- 
tributed through  the  whole  succession  of  sale. 

"  The  deduction,  1  am  afraid,  will  appear  very 
great  :  but  let  it  be  considered  before  it  is  refused. 
We  must  allow,  for  profit,  between  thirty  and  thirty- 
five  per  cent,  between  six  and  seven  shillings  in  the 
pound  ;  that  is,  for  every  book  which  costs  the  last 
buyer  twenty  shillings,  we  must  charge  Mr.  Cadell 
with  something  less  than  fourteen.  We  must  set  the 
copies  at  fourteen  shilling  each,  and  superadd  what  is 
called  the  quarterly  book,  or  for  every  hundred  books 
so  charged  we  must  deliver  an  hundred  and  four. 

"  The  profits  will  then  stand  thus  : 

"  Mr.  Cadell,  who  runs  no  hazard,  and  gives  no 
credit,  will  be  paid  for  warehouse  room  and  attendance 
by  a  shilling  profit  on  each  book,  and  his  chance  of  the 
quarterly-book. 

"  Mr.  Dilly,  who  buys  the  book  for  fifteen  shillings, 
and  who  will  expect  the  quarterly-book  if  he  takes 


DR.    JOHNSON.  2J9 

Hve  and  twenty,  will  send  it  to  his  country-customer  J77(>. 
at  sixteen   and  sixpence,   by  which,  at  the  hazard  of  ^j^ 
loss,  and  the  certainty  of  long  credit,  he  gains  the  reg-    07. 
ular  profit  of  ten  per  cent,   which   is  expected   in   the 
wholesale  trade. 

"  The  country  bookseller,  buying  at  sixteen  and  six- 
pence, and  commonly  trusting  a  considerable  time, 
gains  but  three  and  sixpence,  and  if  he  trusts  a  year, 
not  much  more  than  two  and  sixpence  ;  otherwise 
than  as  he  may,  perhaps,  take  as  long  credit  as  he 
gives. 

"  With  less  profit  than  this,  and  more  you  see  he 
cannot  have,  the  country  bookseller  cannot  live  ;  for 
his  receipts  are  small,  and   his  debts  sometimes  bad. 

"  Thus,  dear  Sir,  I  have  been  incited  by  Dr. 
*******'s  letter  to  give  you  a  detail  of  the  circulation 
of  books,  which,  perhaps,  every  man  has  not  had  op- 
portunity of  knowing  ;  and  which  those  who  know  it, 
do  not,  perhaps,  always  distinctly  consider. 

"  1  am,  &c. 

"  March  12,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." « 

Having  arrived  in  London  late  on  Friday,  the  L-^th 
of  March,  I  hastened  next  morning  to  wait  on  Dr. 
Johnson,  at  his  house  ;  but  found  he  was  removed 
from  Johnson's-court,  No.  7,  to  Bolt-court,  No.  8,  still 
keeping  to  his  favourite  Fleet-street.  My  reflection 
at  the  time  upon  this  change  as  marked  in  my  Journal, 
is  as  follows  :  "  I  felt  a  foolish  regret  that  he  had  left  a 
court  which  bore  his  name  ;9  but  it  was  not  foolish  to 
be  affected  with  some  tenderness  of  regard  for  a  place 
in  which  I  had  seen  him  a  great  deal,  from  whence 
I  had  often  issued  a  better  and  a  happier  man  than 
when  I  went  in,  and  which  had  often  appeared  to  my 
imagination  while  1  trod  its  pavement,  in  the  solemn 
darkness  of  the  night,  to  be  sacred  to  wisdom  and 

^  I  am  happy  in  giving  this  full  and  clear  statement  to  the  publick,  to  vindicate, 
by  the  autlionty  of  the  greatest  authour  of  his  age,  that  respectable  body  of  men, 
the  Booksellers  of  London,  from  vulgar  reflections,  as  if  their  profits  were  exorbi- 
tant, when,  in  truth,  Dr.  Johnson  has  here  allowed  them  more  than  they  usually 
demand. 

'  He  said,  when  in  Scotland,  that  he  was  Johmon  of  that  Hi. 


24^0  THE    LIFE    OF 

>776.  piety."  Being  informed  that  he  was  at  Mr.  Thrale's, 
^J^  in  the  Borough,  I  hastened  thither,  and  found  Mrs. 
67.  Thrale  and  him  at  breakfast.  I  was  kindly  welcomed. 
In  a  moment  he  was  in  a  full  glow  of  conversation, 
and  I  felt  myself  elevated  as  if  brought  into  another 
state  of  being.  Mrs.  Thrale  and  I  looked  to  each 
other  while  he  talked,  and  our  looks  expressed  our 
congenial  admiration  and  affection  for  him.  I  shall 
ever  recollect  this  scene  with  great  pleasure.  I  ex- 
claimed to  her,  "  I  am  now,  intellectually,  Hermippus 
redivivtis^^  I  am  quite  restored  by  him,  by  transfusion 
of  mind.^^  "  There  are  many  (she  replied)  who  ad- 
mire and  respect  Mr.  Johnson  ;  but  you  and  1  love 
him." 

He  seemed  very  happy  in  the  near  prospect  of  going 
to  Italy  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale.  "  But,  (said  he,) 
before  leaving  England  I  am  to  take  a  jaunt  to  Ox- 
ford, Birmingham,  my  native  city  Lichfield,  and  my 
old  friend,  Dr.  Taylor's,  at  Ashbourne,  in  Derbyshire, 
I  shall  go  in  a  few  days,  and  you,  Boswell,  shall  go  vvith 
me."  I  was  ready  to  accompany  him  ;  being  willing 
even  to  leave  London  to  have  the  pleasure  of  his  con- 
versation. 

I  mentioned  with  much  regret  the  extravagance  of 
the  representative  of  a  great  family  in  Scotland,  by 
which  there  was  danger  of  its  being  ruined  ;  and  as 
Johnson  respected  it  for  its  antiquity,  he  joined  with 
me  in  thinking  it  would  be  happy  if  this  person  should 
die.  Mrs.  Thrale  seemed  shocked  at  this,  as  feudal 
barbarity  ;  and  said,  "  I  do  not  understand  this  prefer- 
ence of  the  estate  to  its  owner  ;  of  the  land  to  the  man 
who  walks  upon  that  land."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Mad- 
am, it  is  not  a  preference  of  the  land  to  its  owner ;  it  is 
the  preference  of  a  family  to  an  individual.  Here  is  an 
establishment  in  a  country,  which  is  of  importance  for 
ages,  not  only  to  the  chief  but  to  his  people  ;  an  estab- 
lishment which  extends  upwards  and  downwards  ;  that 
this  should  be  destroyed  by  one  idle  fellow  is  a  sad 


thino." 


'  See  vol.  I.  p.  327. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  9i\ 

He  said,  "  Entails  arc  good,  because  it  is  good  to  '/Tf*. 
preserve  in  a  country,  serieses  of  men,  to  whom  the  ^^'^ 
people  are  accustomed  to  l(X)k  up  as  to  their  hiaders.  aj. 
But  1  am  tor  leaving  a  quantity  of  land  in  commerce, 
to  excite  industry,  and  keep  money  in  the  country  ;  for 
if  no  land  were  to  he  bought  in  tlie  country,  there 
would  he  no  encouragement  to  acquire  wealth,  because 
a  family  could  not  be  founded  there  ;  or  if  it  were  ac- 
quired, it  must  be  carried  away  to  another  country 
where  land  may  be  bought.  And  although  the  land  in 
every  country  will  remain  the  same,  and  be  as  fertile 
where  there  is  no  money,  as  where  there  is,  yet  all  that 
portion  of  the  happiness  of  civil  life,  which  is  produced 
by  money  circulating  in  a  country,  would  be  lost." 
BoswELL.  "  Then,  Sir,  would  it  be  for  the  a'dvantage 
of  a  country  that  all  its  lands  were  sold  at  once!" 
Johnson.  "  So  far,  Sir,  as  money  produces  good,  it 
would  be  an  advantage ;  ,for,  then  that  country  would 
have  as  much  money  circulating  in  it  as  it  is  worth. 
But  to  be  sure  this  would  be  counterbalanced  by  disad- 
vantages attending  a  total  change  of  proprietors." 

I  expressed  my  opinion  that  the  power  of  entailing 
should  be  limited  thus:  "That  there  should  be  one 
third,  or  perhaps  one  half  of  the  land  of  a  country  kept 
free  for  commerce  ;  that  the  proportion  allowed  to  he 
entailed,  should  be  parcelled  out  so  that  no  family  could 
entail  above  a  certain  quantity,  l^et  a  fiunily,  accord- 
ing to  the  abilities  of  its  representatives,  be  richer  or 
poorer  in  different  generations,  or  always  rich  if  its  rep- 
resentatives be  always  wise  :  but  let  its  absolute  perma- 
nency be  moderate.  In  this  way  we  should  be  certain 
of  there  being  always  a  number  of  established  roots; 
and  as  in  the  course  of  nature,  there  is  in  every  age  an 
extinction  of  some  families,  there  would  be  continual 
openings  for  men  ambitious  of  perpetuity,  to  plant  a 
stock  in  the  entailed  ground."*     Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir, 

-The  privilege  of  perpetuating  in  a  family  an  estate  and  amis  indifeaully  from 
generation  to  generation,  is  enjoyed  by  none  of  his  Majesty's  subjects  exct-pt  in 
Scotland,  where  the  legal  fiction  oi  fine  and  recovery  is  unknown.  It  is  a  privilege 
so  proud,  that  I  should  think  it  would  be  proper  to  have  the  exercise  of  it  depend- 
ent on  the  royal  prerogative.  It  seems  absurd  to  permit  the  power  of  perpetua- 
ting their  representation,  to  men,  who  having  had  no  eminent  merit,  have  truly 

VOL.   II.  31 


•242  THE    LIFE    or 

'776.  mankind  will  be  better  able  to  regulate  the  system  of 
^^  entails,  when  the  evil  of  too  much  land  being  locked 
(57.  "  up  by  them  is  felt,  than  we  can  do  at  present  when  it 
is  not  felt." 

I  mentioned  Dr.  Adam  Smith's  book  on  "  The 
Wealth  of  Nations,"  which  was  just  published,  and 
that  Sir  John  Pringle  had  observed  to  me,  that  Dr. 
Smith,  who  had  never  been  in  trade,  could  not  be  ex- 
pected to  write  well  on  that  subject  any  more  than  a 
lawyer  upon  physick.  Johnson.  "  He  is  mistaken, 
Sir :  a  man  who  has  never  been  engaged  in  trade  him- 
self may  undoubtedly  write  well  upon  trade,  and  there 
is  nothing  which  requires  more  to  be  illustrated  by  phi- 
losophy than  trade  does.  As  to  mere  wealth,  that  is  to 
say,  money,  it  is  clear  that  one  nation  or  one  individual 
cannot  increase  its  store  but  by  making  another  poorer  : 
but  trade  procures  what  is  more  valuable,  the  recipro- 
cation of  the  peculiar  advantages  of  different  countries. 
A  merchant  seldom  thinks  but  of  his  own  particular 
trade.  To  write  a  good  book  upon  it,  a  man  must  have 
extensive  views.  It  is  not  necessary  to  have  practised,  to 
write  well  upon  a  subject."  1  mentioned  law  as  a  sub- 
ject on  which  no  man  could  write  well  without  prac- 
tice. Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  in  England,  where  so 
much  money  is  to  be  got  by  the  practice  of  the  law, 
most  of  our  writers  upon  it  have  been  in  practice ; 
though  Blackstone  had  not  been  much  in  practice  when 
'  he  published  his  '  Commentaries.'  But  upon  the  Con- 
tinent, the  great  writers  on  law  have  not  all  been  in 
practice:  Grotius,  indeed  was;  but  Puffendorf  was 
not,  Burlamaqui  was  not." 

When  we  had  talked  of  the  great  consequence  which 
a  man  acquired  by  being  employed  in  his  profession,  I 
suggested  a  doubt  of  the  justice  of  the  general  opinion, 
that  it  is  improper  in  a  lawyer  to  solicit  employment ; 
for  why,  1  urged,  should  it  not  be  equally  allowable  to 
solicit  that  as  the  means  of  consequence,  as  it  is  to  so- 
licit votes  to  be  elected  a  member  of  Parliament  ?  Mr. 
Strahan   had  told  me  that  a  countryman   of  his  and 

no  name.     The  King,  as  the  impartial  father  of  his  people,  would  never  refuse  t» 
grant  the  privilege  to  those  who  deserved  it. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  S43 

mine,  who  had  risen  to  eminence  in  the  law,  had,  when  i77<>. 
first  making  his  way,  sohcited  him  to  get  him  omployed  ^^^ 
in  city  causes.     Johnson.  "  Sir,  it  is  wrong-  to  stir  up   07.  ' 
law-suits  ;  but  when  once  it  is  certain  that  a  law-suit  is 
to  go  on,  there  is  nothing  wrong  in  a  lawyer's  endeav- 
ouring that  he  shall  have  the  benefit,  rather  than  anoth- 
er."    BoswELL.  "  You  would  not  solicit  employment, 
Sir;  if  you  were  a  lawyer."     Johnson.  "  No,  Sir ;  but 
not  because  1  should   think   it  wrong,  but  because  I 
should  disdain  it."     This  was  a  good  distinction,  which 
will   be  felt  by  men   of  just  pride.     He    proceeded: 
"  However,  1  would  not  have  a  lawyer  to  be  wanting 
to  himself  in  using  fair  means.     I  would  have  him  to 
inject  a  little  hint  now  and  then,  to  prevent  his  being 
overlooked." 

Lord  Mountstuart's  bill  for  a  Scotch  Militia,  in  sup- 
porting which  his  Lordship  had  made  an  able  speech  in 
the  House  of  Commons,  was  now  a  pretty  general  top- 
ick  of  conversation. — Johnson.  "  As  Scotland  contrib- 
utes so  little  land-tax  towards  the  general  support  of 
the  nation,  it  ought  not  to  have  a  militia  paid  out  of  the 
general  fund,  unless  it  should  be  thought  for  the  gen- 
eral interest,  that  Scotland  should  be  protected  from  an 
invasion,  which  no  man  can  think  will  happen  ;  for  what 
enemy  would  invade  Scotland,  where  there  is  nothing 
to  be  got  ?  No,  Sir ;  now  that  the  Scotch  have  not  the 
pay  of  English  soldiers  spent  among  them,  as  so  many 
troops  are  sent  abroad,  they  are  trying  to  get  money 
another  way,  by  having  a  militia  paid.  If  they  are 
afraid,  and  seriously  desire  to  have  an  armed  force  to 
defend  them,  they  should  pay  for  it.  Your  scheme  is 
to  retain  a  part  of  your  land-tax,  by  making  us  pay  and 
clothe  your  militia."  Boswell.  "  You  should  not  talk 
of  z0e  and  i/ou,  Sir :  there  is  now  an  Union."  Johnson. 
"  There  must  be  a  distinction  of  interest,  while  the  pro- 
portions of  land-tax  are  so  unequal.  If  Yorkshire  should 
say,  '  Instead  of  paying  our  land-tax,  we  will  keep  a 
greater  number  of  inilitia,'  it  would  be  unreasonable." 
In  this  argument  my  friend  was  certainly  in  the 
wrong.  The  land-tax  is  as  unequally  proportioned  be- 
tween different  parts  of  England,  as  between  England 


344)  THE    LIFE   OF 

i?76.  and  Scotland ;  nay,  it  is  considerably  unequal  in  Scot- 
land itself.  But  the  land-tax  is  but  a  small  part  of  the 
numerous  branches  of  publick  revenue,  all  of  which 
Scotland  pays  precisely  as  England  does.  A  French 
invasion  made  in  Scotland  would  soon  penetrate  into 
England. 

He  thus  discoursed  upon  supposed  obligation  in 
settling  estates : — "  V¥here  a  man  gets  the  unlimited 
property  of  an  estate,  there  is  no  obligation  upon  him 
m  justice  to  leave  it  to  one  person  rather  than  to  another. 
There  is  a  motive  of  preference  from  kindness,  and  this 
kindness  is  generally  entertained  for  the  nearest  rela- 
tion. If  I  oi&e  a  particular  man  a  sum  of  money,  I  am 
obliged  to  let  that  man  have  the  next  money  I  get,  and 
cannot  in  justice  let  another  have  it :  but  if  I  owe 
money  to  no  man,  I  may  dispose  of  what  I  get  as  I 
please.  There  is  not  a  dehitum  justitice  to  a  man^s  next 
heir  ;  there  is  only  a  dehitum,  caritatis.  It  is  plain,  then, 
that  I  have  morally  a  choice,  according  to  my  liking. 
If  I  have  a  brother  in  want,  he  has  a  claim  from  affec- 
tion to  my  assistance ;  but  if  I  have  also  a  brother  m 
want,  whom  1  like  better,  he  has  a  preferable  claim. 
The  right  of  an  heir  at  law  is  only  this,  that  he  is  to 
have  the  succession  to  an  estate,  in  case  no  other  per- 
son is  appointed  to  it  by  the  owner.  His  right  is  merely 
preferable  to  that  of  the  King." 

We  got  into  a  boat  to  cross  over  to  Black-friars  ;  and 
as  we  moved  along  the  Thames,  I  talked  to  him  of  a 
little  volume,  which,  altogether  unknown  to  him,  was 
advertised  to  be  published  in  a  few  days,  under  the  title 
of  "  Johnsoniima,  or  Bon-mots  of  Dr.  Johnson."  John- 
son. "  Sir,  it  is  a  mighty  impudent  thing."  Boswell. 
"  Pray,  Sir,  could  you  have  no  redress  if  you  were  to 
prosecute  a  publisher  for  bringing  out,  under  your 
name,  what  you  never  said,  and  ascribing  tq  you  dull 
stupid  nonsense,  or  making  you  swear  profanely,  as 
many  ignorant  relaters  of  your  bon-mots  dol'^  Johnson. 
"  No,  Sir ;  there  will  always  be  some  truth  mixed  with 
the  falsehood,  and  how  can  it  be  ascertained  how  much 
is  true  and  how  much  is  false  \  Besides,  Sir,  what  dam- 
ages would  a  jury  give  me  for  having  been  represented 


DR.    JOHNSON.  245 

as  swearing!"  Boswell.  "  I  think,  Sir,  you  should  at  ''776. 
least  disavow  such  a  publication,  because  the  world  and  ^^ 
posterity  might  with  much  plausible   foundation  say,   Gy. 
*  Here  is  a  volume  which  was  publickly  advertised  and 
came  out  in  Dr.  Johnson^s  own   time,  and,  by  his  si- 
lence, was  admitted  by  him  to  be  genuine."     Johnson. 
"  1  shall  give  myself  no  trouble  about  the  matter." 

He  was,  perhaps,  above  suffering  from  such  spurious 
publications  ;  but  1  could  not  help  thinking,  that  many 
men  would  be  much  injured  in  their  reputation,  by 
having  absurd  and  vicious  sayings  imputed  to  them  ; 
and  that  redress  ought  in  such  cases  to  be  given. 

He  said,  "  The  value  of  every  story  depends  on  its 
being  true.  A  story  is  a  picture  either  of  an  individual 
or  of  human  nature  in  general :  if  it  be  false,  it  is  a  pic- 
ture of  nothing.  For  instance:  suppose  a  man  should 
tell  that  Johnson,  before  setting  out  for  Italy,  as  he  had  to 
cross  the  Alps,  sat  down  to  make  himself  wings.  This 
many  people  would  believe ;  but  it  would  be  a  picture 
of  nothing.  *******  (naming  a  worthy  friend  of  ours,) 
used  to  think  a  story,  a  story,  till  1  shewed  him  that 
truth  was  essential  to  it."  1  observed,  that  Foote  en- 
tertained us  with  stories  which  were  not  true  ;  but  that, 
indeed,  it  was  properly  not  as  narratives  that  Foote's 
stories  pleased  us,  but  as  collections  of  ludicrous  ima- 
ges. Johnson.  "  Foote  is  quite  impartial,  for  he  tells 
lies  of  every  body." 

The  importance  of  strict  and  scrupulous  veracity 
cannot  be  too  often  inculcated.  Johnson  was  known 
to  be  so  rigidly  attentive  to  it,  that  even  in  his  com- 
mon conversation  the  slightest  circumstance  was  men- 
tioned with  exact  precision.  The  knowledge  of  his 
having  such  a  principle  and  habit  made  his  friends 
have  a  perfect  reliance  on  the  truth  of  every  thing  that 
he  told,  however  it  might  have  been  doubted  if  told  by 
many  others.  As  an  instance  of  this,  I  may  mention 
an  odd  incident  which  he  related  as  having  happened 
to  him  one  night  in  Fleet-street.  "  A  gentlewoman 
(said  he)  begged  I  would  give  her  my  arm  to  assist  her 
in  crossing  the  street,  which  I  accordingly  did  ;  upon 
which  she  offered  me  a  shilling,  supposing  me  to  be 


246  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  the  watchman.     I  perceived  that  she  was  somewhat  in 

^(^  liquor."     This,  if  told  by  most  people,  would   have 

67.    been  thought  an  invention  ;  when  told  by  Johnson,  it 

was  believed  by  his  friends  as  much  as  if  they  had  seen 

Avhat  passed. 

We  landed  at  the  Temple-stairs,  where  we  parted. 
I  found  him  in  the  evening  in  Mrs.  Williams's  room. 
We  talked  of  religious  orders.  He  said,  "  It  is  as  un- 
reasonable for  a  man  to  go  into  a  Carthusian  convent 
^  for  fear  of  being  immoral,  as  for  a  man  to  cut  off  his 
hands  for  fear  he  should  steal.  There  is,  indeed,  great 
resolution  in  the  immediate  act  of  dismembering  him- 
self ;  but  when  that  is  once  done,  he  has  no  longer 
any  merit  :  for  though  it  is  out  of  his  power  to  steal, 
yet  he  may  all  his  life  be  a  thief  in  his  heart.  So  when 
a  man  has  once  become  a  Carthusian,  he  is  obliged  to 
continue  so,  whether  he  chooses  it  or  not.  Their 
silence,  too,  is  absurd.  We  read  in  the  Gospel  of  the 
apostles  being  sent  to  preach,  but  not  to  hold  their 
tongues.  All  severity  that  does  not  tend  to  increase 
'  good,  or  prevent  evil,  is  idle.  I  said  to  the  Lady  Ab- 
bess of  a  convent,  '  Madam,  you  are  here,  not  for  the 
love  of  virtue,  but  the  fear  of  vice.'  She  said,  '  She 
should  remember  this  as  long  as  she  lived.''  1  thought 
it  hard  to  give  her  this  view  of  her  situation,  when  she 
could  not  help  it  ;  and,  indeed,  I  wondered  at  the 
whole  of  what  he  now  said  ;  because,  both  in  his 
"  Rambler"  and  "  Idler,"  he  treats  religious  austerities 
with  much  solemnity  of  respect. 

Finding  him  still  persevering  in  his  abstinence  from 
wine,  1  ventured  to  speak  to  him  of  it. — Johnson. 
"  Sir,  1  have  no  objection  to  a  man's  drinking  wine,  if 
he  can  do  it  in  moderation.  I  found  myself  apt  to  go 
to  excess  in  it,  and  therefore,  after  having  been  for 
some  time  without  it,  on  account  of  illness,  I  thought 
it  better  not  to  return  to  it.  Every  man  is  to  judge  for 
himself,  according  to  the  etFects  which  he  experiences. 
One  of  the  fathers  tells  us,  he  found  fasting  made  him 
so  peevish  that  he  did  not  practise  it." 

Though  he  often  enlarged  upon  the  evil  of  intoxi- 
cation, he  was  bv  no  means  harsh   and  unforijivinor  to 


DR.    JOHNSON.  247 

those   who    indulged   in    occasional   excess   in    wine.  1776. 
One  of  his  friends,  1  well  remember,  came  to  sup  at  a  ^^^ 
tavern  with    him  and  some  other  gentltmon,  and  too   07. 
plainly  discovered  that  he  had  drunk  too  much  at  din- 
ner.    When  one  who  loved  mischief,  thinking  to  pro- 
duce  a  severe   censure,    asked    Johnson,   a  few  days 
afterwards,  "  Well,  Sir,   what  did   your  friend  say   to 
you,  as  an  apology  for  being  in   such  a  situation  ?" 
Johnson  answered,  "  Sir,  he  said  all  that  a  man  sliould 
say  :  he  said  he  was  sorry  for  it." 

1  heard  him  once  give  a  very  judicious  practical 
advice  upon  this  subject  :  "  A  man  who  has  been 
drinking  wine  at  all  freely,  should  never  go  into  a  new 
company.  With  those  who  have  partaken  of  wine  with 
him,  he  may  be  pretty  well  in  unison  ;  but  he  will 
probably  be  offensive,  or  appear  ridiculous,  to  other 
people." 

He  allowed  very  great  influence  to  education.  "  I  do 
not  deny.  Sir,  but  there  is  some  original  difference  in 
minds  ;  but  it  is  nothing  in  comparison  of  what  is  form- 
ed by  education.  We  may  instance  the  science  of  mini' 
bers^  which  all  minds  are  equally  capable  of  attaining  : 
yet  we  find  a  prodigious  difference  in  the  powers  of  dif- 
ferent men,  in  that  respect,  after  they  are  grown  up,  be- 
cause their  minds  have  been  more  or  less  exercised  in 
it  :  and  1  think  the  same  cause  will  explain  the  differ- 
ence of  excellence  in  other  things,  gradations  admitting 
always  some  difference  in  the  first  principles." 

This  is  a  difficult  subject ;  but  it  is  best  to  hope  that 
diligence  may  do  a  great  deal.  We  are  sure  of  what  it 
can  do,  in  increasing  our  mechanical  force  and  dexterit3^ 

I  again  visited  him  on  Monday.  He  took  occasion 
to  enlarge,  as  he  often  did,  upon  the  wretchedness  of  a 
sea-life.  "  A  ship  is  worse  than  a  gaol.  There  is,  in  a 
gaol,  better  air,  better  company,  better  conveniency  of 
every  kind  ;  and  a  ship  has  the  additional  disadvantage 
of  being  in  danger.  When  men  come  to  like  a  sea-life, 
they  are  not  fit  to  live  on  land." — "  Then  (said  I)  it 
would  be  cruel  in  a  father  to  breed  his  son  to  the  sea." 
Johnson.  "  It  would  be  cruel  in  a  father  who  thinks 
as  I  do.     Men  go  to  sea,  before  they  know  the  unhap- 


248  THE    LIFE    OF 

1770.  piness  of  that  way  of  life  ;  and  when  they  have  come  to 
^f^  know  it,  they  cannot  escape  from  it,  because  it  is  then 
67.  '  too  late  to  choose  another  profession  ;  as  indeed  is  gen- 
erally the  case  with  men,  when  they  have  once  engag- 
ed in  any  particular  way  of  life." 

On  Tuesday,  March  19,  which  was  fixed  for  our  pro- 
posed jaunt,  we  met  in  the  morning  at  the  Somerset 
coffee-house  in  the  Strand,  where  we  were  taken  up  by 
the  Oxford  coach.  He  was  accompanied  by  Mr.  Gvvyn, 
the  architect ;  and  a  gentleman  of  Merton  College, 
whom  we  did  not  know,  had  the  fourth  seat.  We  soon 
got  into  conversation  ;  for  it  was  very  remarkable  of 
Johnson,  that  the  presence  of  a  stranger  had  no  restraint 
upon  his  talk.  I  observed  that  Garrick,  who  was  about 
to  quit  the  stage,  would  soon  have  an  easier  life. 
Johnson.  "  1  doubt  that,  Sir."  Boswell.  "Why, 
Sir,  he  will  be  Atlas  with  the  burthen  off  his  back." 
Johnson.  "  But  I  know  not.  Sir,  if  he  will  be  so  steady 
without  his  load.  However  he  should  never  play  any 
more,  but  be  entirel}'^  the  gentleman,  and  not  partly  the 
player :  he  should  no  longer  subject  himself  to  be  hiss- 
ed by  a  mob,  or  to  be  insolently  treated  by  performers, 
whom  he  used  to  rule  with  a  high  hand,  and  who 
would  gladly  retaliate."  Boswell.  "  1  think  he 
should  play  once  a  year  for  the  benefit  of  decayed  actors, 
as  it  has  been  said  he  means  to  do."  Johnson.  "  Alas, 
Sir  !  he  will  soon  be  a  decayed  actor  himself." 

Johnson  expressed  his  disapprobation  of  ornamental 
architecture,  such  as  magnificent  columns  supporting  a 
portico,  or  expensive  pilasters  supporting  merely  their 
own  capitals,  "  because  it  consumes  labour  dispropor- 
tionate to  its  utility."  For  the  same  reason  he  satyrised 
i  statuary.     "  Painting  (said  he)  consumes  labour  not  dis- 

proportionate to  its  effect ;  but  a  fellow  will  hack  half  a 
year  at  a  block  of  marble  to  make  something  in  stone 
that  hardly  resembles  a  man.  The  value  of  statuary  is 
owing  to  its  difficulty.  You  would  not  value  the  finest 
head  cut  upon  a  carrot."  Here  he  seemed  to  me  to  be 
strangel}^  deficient  in  taste  ;  for  surely  statuary  is  a  no- 
ble art  of  imitation,  and  preserves  a  wonderful  expres- 
sion of  the  varieties  of  the  human  frame  ;  and  although 


DR.    JOHNSON.  349 

It  must  be  allowed  that  the  circumstances  of  difficulty  i77fi. 
enhance  the  value  of  a  marble  head,  we  should  consid-  ^^ 
er,  that  if  it  requires  a  long  time  in  the  performance,  it    (jy. 
has  a  proportionate  value  in  durability. 

(Jwyn  was  a  fine  lively  rattling  fellow.  Dr.  Johnson 
kept  him  in  subjection,  but  with  a  kindly  authority. 
The  spirit  of  the  artist,  however,  rose  against  what  he 
thought  a  Gothick  attack,  and  he  made  a  brisk  defence. 
"  What,  Sir,  will  you  allow  no  value  to  beauty  in  archi- 
tecture or  in  statuary  I  Why  should  we  allow  it  then  in 
writing  I  Why  do  you  take  the  trouble  to  give  us  so 
many  fine  allusions,  and  bright  images,  and  elegant 
phrases  !  You  might  convey  all  your  instruction  with- 
out these  ornaments."  Johnson  smiled  with  compla- 
cency ;  but  said,  "  Why,  Sir,  all  these  ornaments  are 
useful,  because  they  obtain  an  easier  reception  for  truth  ; 
but  a  building  is  not  at  all  more  convenient  for  being 
decorated  with  superfluous  carved  work." 

Gwyn  at  last  was  lucky  enough  to  make  one  reply  to 
Dr.  Johnson,  which  he  allowed  to  be  excellent.  John- 
son censured  him  for  taking  down  a  church  which 
might  have  stood  many  years,  and  building  a  new  one 
at  a  different  place,  for  no  other  reason  but  that  there 
might  be  a  direct  road  to  a  new  bridge  ;  and  his  expres- 
sion was,  "You  are  taking  a  church  out  of  the  way, 
that  the  people  may  go  in  a  straight  line  to  the  bridge." — 
"  No,  Sir,  (said  Gwyn,)  I  am  putting  the  church  iu  the 
way,  that  the  people  may  not  go  out  of  the  liuufT 
Johnson,  (with  a  hearty  loud  laugh  of  approbation,) 
"  Speak  no  more.  Rest  your  colloquial  fame  upon 
this.'^ 

Upon  our  arrival  at  Oxford,  Dr.  Johnson  and  I  went 
directly  to  University  College,  but  were  disappointed 
on  finding  that  one  of  the  fellows,  his  friend  Mr.  Scott, 
who  accompanied  him  from  Newcastle  to  Edinburgh, 
was  gone  to  the  country.  We  put  up  at  the  Angel 
inn,  and  passed  the  evening  by  ourselves  in  easy  and 
familiar  conversation.  Talking  of  constitutional  mel- 
ancholy, he  observed,  "  A  man  so  afflicted.  Sir,  must 
divert  distressing  thoughts,  and  not  combat  with  them." 
BoswELL.     "  May  not  he  think   them  down,  Sir  ?" 

voT..  TT.  ;«2 


'^JO  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir.  To  attempt  to  t/mik  tJiem  down 
is  madness.  He  should  have  a  lamp  constantly  burn- 
ing in  his  bed-chamber  during  the  night,  and  if  wake- 
fully  disturbed,  take  a  book,  and  read,  and  compose 
himself  to  rest.  To  have  the  management  of  the  mind 
is  a  great  art,  and  it  may  be  attained  in  a  considerable 
degree  by  experience  and  habitual  exercise."  Hos- 
WELL.  "  Should  not  he  provide  amusements  for  him- 
self ?  Would  it  not,  for  instance,  be  right  for  him  to 
take  a  course  of  chymistry  ]"  Johnson.  "  Let  him 
take  a  course  of  chymistry,  or  a  course  of  rope-dancing, 
or  a  course  of  any  thing  to  which  he  is  inclined  at  the 
time.  Let  him  contrive  to  have  as  many  retreats  for  his 
mind  as  he  can,  as  many  things  to  which  it  can  fly  from 
itself.  Burton's  '  Anatomy  of  Melancholy'  is  a  valuable 
work.  It  is,  perhaps,  overloaded  with  quotation.  But 
there  is  a  great  spirit  and  great  power  in  what  Burton 
says,  when  he  writes  from  his  own  mind," 

Next  morning  we  visited  Dr.  Wetherell,  Master  of 
University  College,  with  whom  Dr.  Johnson  conferred 
on  the  most  advantageous  mode  of  disposing  of  the 
books  printed  at  the  Clarendon  press,  on  which  sub- 
ject his  letter  has  been  inserted  in  a  former  page.  I 
often  had  occasion  to  remark,  Johnson  loved  business, 
loved  to  have  his  wisdom  actually  operate  on  real  life. 
Dr.  VV^etherell  and  1  talked  of  him  without  reserve  in 
his  own  presence.  Wetherell.  "  I  would  have 
given  him  a  hundred  guineas  if  he  would  have  written 
a  preface  to  his  '  Political  Tracts,'  by  way  of  a  Dis- 
course on  the  British  Constitution."  Boswell.  "  Dr. 
Johnson,  though  in  his  writings,  and  upon  all  occa- 
sions a  great  friend  to  the  constitution  both  in  church 
and  state,  has  never  written  expressly  in  support  of 
either.  There  is  really  a  claim  upon  him  for  both.  I 
am  sure  he  could  give  a  volume  of  no  great  bulk  upon 
each,  which  would  comprise  all  the  substance,  and  with 
his  spirit  would  effectually  maintain  them.  He  sliould 
erect  a  fort  on  the  confines  of  each."  I  could  perceive 
that  he  was  displeased  with  this  dialogue.  He  burst 
out,  "Why  should  /be  always   writing!"     1  hoped 


DR.    JOHNSON.  2.31 

lie  was  conscious  that  the  del>t  was  just,  and  meant  to  i77fi. 
discharge  it,  though  he  (hsliked  being  ilunned.  l^iTT 

We  then  went  to  IVnihroke  College,  and  waited  on  (i;. 
his  old  friend  Dr.  Adams,  the  master  of  it,  whom  I 
found  to  lie  a  most  polite,  pleasing,  communicative 
man.  15efore  his  advancement  to  the  headship  of  his 
college,  1  had  intended  to  go  and  visit  him  at  Shrews- 
bury, where  he  was  rector  of  wSt.  Chad's,  in  order  to  get 
from  him  what  i)articulars  he  could  recollect  of  John- 
son's academical  life.  He  now  obligingly  gave  me  part 
of  that  authentick  information,  which,  with  what  1  af- 
terwards owed  to  his  kindness,  will  be  found  incorpora- 
ted in  its  proper  place  in  this  work. 

Dr.  Adams  had  distinguished  himself  by  an  able 
answer  to  David  Hume's  "  Essay  on  Miracles."  He 
told  me  he  had  once  dined  in  company  with  Hume  in 
London  :  that  Hume  shook  hands  with  him,  and  said, 
"  You  have  treated  me  much  better  than  1  deserve  ;" 
and  that  they  exchanged  visits.  1  took  the  liberty  to 
object  to  treating  an  infidel  writer  with  smooth  civility. 
Where  there  is  a  controversy  concerning  a  passage  in  a 
classick  authour,  or  concerning  a  question  in  antiqui- 
ties, or  any  other  subject  in  which  human  happiness  is 
not  deeply  interested,  a  man  may  treat  his  antagonist 
with  politeness  and  even  respect.  But  where  the  con- 
troversy is  concerning  the  truth  of  religion,  it  is  of  such 
vast  importance  to  him  who  maintains  it,  to  obtain  the 
victory,  that  the  person  of  an  opponent  ought  not  to  be 
spared.  If  a  man  firmly  believes  that  religion  is  an  in- 
valuable treasure,  he  will  consider  a  writer  who  endeav- 
ours to  deprive  mankind  of  it  as  a  robber  ;  he  will  look 
upon  him  as  odious^  though  the  infidel  might  think  him- 
self in  the  right.  A  robber  who  reasons  as  the  gang  do 
in  the  "  Beggar's  Opera,"  who  call  themselves  practical 
philosophers,  and  may  have  as  much  sincerity  as  per- 
nicious speculative  philosophers,  is  not  the  less  an 
object  of  just  indignation.  An  abandoned  profligate 
may  think  that  it  is  not  wrong  to  debauch  my  wite  ?  but 
shall  I,  therefore,  not  detest  him  \  And  if  I  catch  him 
in  making  an  attempt,  shall  1  treat  him  with  politeness  ? 
No.  I  will  kick  him  down  stairs,  or  run  him  through  the 


35^  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  body  ;  that  is,  if  I  really  love  my  wife,  or  have  a  true 
^J^  rational  notion  of  honour.  An  Infidel  then  shall  not 
67,  be  treated  handsomely  by  a  Christian,  merely  because 
he  endeavours  to  rob  with  ingenuity.  I  do  declare 
•  however,  that  I  am  exceedingly  unvvilhng  to  be  pro- 
voked to  anger,  and  could  1  be  persuaded  that  truth 
would  not  suffer  from  a  cool  moderation  in  its  defend- 
ers, I  should  wish  to  preserve  good  humour,  at  least,  in 
every  controversy  ;  nor,  indeed,  do  I  see  why  a  man 
should  lose  his  temper  while  he  does  all  he  can  to  re- 
fute an  opponent.  I  think  ridicule  may  be  fairly  used 
against  an  infidel ;  for  instance,  if  he  be  an  ugly  fellow, 
and  yet  absurdly  vain  of  his  person,  we  may  contrast 
his  appearance  with  Cicero's  beautiful  image  of  virtue, 
could  she  be  seen.  Johnson  coincided  with  me  and 
said,  "  when  a  man  vohmtarily  engages  in  an  impor- 
tant controversy,  he  is  to  do  all  he  can  to  lessen  his  an- 
tagonist, because  authority  from  personal  respect  has 
much  weight  with  most  people,  and  often  more  than 
reasoning.  If  my  antagonist  writes  bad  language, 
though  that  may  not  be  essential  to  the  question,  I 
will  attack  him  for  his  bad  language."  Adams.  "  You 
would  not  jostle  a  chimney-sweeper."  Johnson. 
"  Yes,  Sir,  if  it  were  necessary  to  jostle  him  dozai." 

Dr.  Adams  told  us,  that  in  some  of  the  Colleges  at 
Oxford,  the  fellows  had  excluded  the  students  from 
social  intercourse  with  them  in  the  common  room. 
Johnson.  "  They  are  in  the  right,  Sir :  there  can  be 
no  real  conversation,  no  fair  exertion  of  mind  amongst 
them,  if  the  young  men  are  by  ;  for  a  man  who  has  a 
character  does  not  choose  to  stake  it  in  their  presence." 
Bos  WELL.  "  But,  Sir,  may  there  not  be  very  good  con- 
versation without  a  contest  for  superiority  ?"  Johnson. 
*'  No  animated  conversation,  Sir,  for  it  cannot  be  but 
one  or  other  will  come  off  superiour.  I  do  not  mean 
that  the  victor  must  have  the  better  of  the  argument, 
for  he  may  take  the  weak  side  ;  but  his  superiority  ol 
parts  and  knowledge  will  necessarily  appear  :  and  he  to 
whom  he  thus  shews  himself  superiour  is  lessened  in 
the  eyes  of  the  young  men.  You  know  it  was  said. 
*  Mallem  cum  Scaligero  crrare  quaw  cum  Clai-io  revte 


DR.    JOHNSON.  2j3 

sapere.'  In  the  same  manner  take  13cntley's  and  Jason  1776. 
de  Nores'  Comments  upon  Horace,  you  will  admire  ^^ 
Bentley  more  when  wrong,  than  Jason  when  right/'       f.y. 

We  walked  with  Dr.  Adams  into  the  master's  gar- 
den, and  into  the  common  room.  Johnson,  (after  a 
reverie  of  meditation,)  "  Av  !  Here  1  used  to  play  at 
draughts  with  Phil.  Jones  and  Fluyder.  Jones  loved 
beer,  and  did  not  get  very  forward  in  the  church. 
Fiuyder  turned  out  a  scoundrel,  a  Whig,  and  said  he 
was  ashamed  of  having  been  bred  at  Oxford.  He  had 
a  hving  at  Putney,  and  got  under  the  eye  of  some  re- 
tainers to  the  court  at  that  time,  and  so  became  a  vio- 
lent Whig  :  but  he  had  been  a  scoundrel  all  along  to  be 
sure."  BoswELL.  "  Was  he  a  scoundrel.  Sir,  in  any 
other  way  than  that  of  being  a  political  scoundrel  ? 
Did  he  cheat  at  draughts  ?  Johnson.  "  Sir,  we  never 
played  for  mojieij." 

He  then  carried  me  to  visit  Dr.  Bentham,  Canon  of 
Christ-Church,  and  Divinity  professor,  with  whose 
learned  and  lively  conversation  we  were  much  pleased. 
He  gave  us  an  invitation  to  dinner,  which  Dr.  John- 
son told  me  was  a  high  honour.  "  Sir,  it  is  a  great 
thing  to  dine  with  the  Canons  of  Christ-Church."  We 
could  not  accept  his  invitation,  as  we  were  engaged  to 
dine  at  University  College.  We  had  an  excellent  din- 
ner there,  with  the  Masters  and  Fellows,  it  being  St. 
Cuthbert's  day,  which  is  kept  by  them  as  a  festival,  as 
he  was  a  saint  of  Durham,  with  which  this  college  is 
much  connected. 

We  drank  tea  with  Dr.  Home,  late  President  of 
]Magdalen  College,  and  Bishop  of  Norwich,  of  whose 
abilities,  in  different  respects,  the  publick  has  had  emi- 
nent proofs,  and  the  esteem  annexed  to  whose  chavar- 
ler  was  increased  by  knowing  him  personally.  He  had 
talked  of  publishing  an  edition  of  Walton's  Lives,  bur 
had  laid  aside  that  design,  upon  Dr.  Johnson's  ulliny, 
him,  from  mistake,  that  Lord  Hailes  intended  to  i\o  it. 
1  had  wished  to  negociate  between  Lord  Hailes  and 
him,  that  one  or  other  should  perform  so  good  a  work. 
Johnson.  "  In  order  to  do  it  well,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  collect  all  the  editions  of  AValton's  Lives.     By  way 


254  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  of  adapting  the  book  to  the  taste  of  the  present  age, 
^^  they  have,  in  a  late  edition,  left  out  a  vision  which  he 
67.  relates  Dr.  Donne  had,  but  it  should  be  restored  ;  and 
there  should  be  a  critical  catalogue  given  of  the  works 
of  the  different  persons  whose  lives  were  written  by 
Walton,  and  therefore,  their  works  must  be  carefully 
read  by  the  editor/* 

We  then  went  to  Trinity  College,  where  he  intro- 
duced me  to  Mr.  Thomas  Warton,  with  whom  we  pass- 
ed a  part  of  the  evening.  We  talked  of  Biography. — 
Johnson.  "  It  is  rarely  well  executed.  They  only 
who  live  with  a  man  can  write  his  life  with  any  genu- 
ine exactness  and  discrimination  ;  and  few  people  who 
have  lived  with  a  man  know  what  to  remark  about  him. 
The  chaplain  of  a  late  Bishop,  whom  I  was  to  assist  in 
writing  some  memoirs  of  his  Lordship,  could  tell  me 
scarcely  any  thing."  ^ 

I  said,  Mr.  Robert  Dodsley's  life  should  be  written, 
as  he  had  been  so  much  connected  with  the  wits  of 
his  time,  and  by  his  literary  merit  had  raised  himself 
from  the  station  of  a  footman.  Mr.  Warton  said,  he 
had  published  a  little  volume  under  the  title  of  "  The 
Muse  in  Livery."  Johnson.  "  1  doubt  whether 
Dodsley's  brother  would  thank  a  man  who  should 
write  his  life  ;  yet  Dodsley  himself  was  not  unwilling 
that  his  original  low  condition  should  be  recollected. 
When  Lord  Lyttelton's  '  Dialogues  of  the  Dead'  came 
out,  one  of  which  is  between  Apicius,  an  ancient  epi- 
cure, and  Dartineuf,  a  modern  epicure,  Dodsley  said  to 
me,  '  I  knew  Dartineuf  well,  for  I  was  once  his  foot- 
man." 

Biography  led  us  to  speak  of  Dr.  John  Campbell, 
who  had  written  a  considerable  part  of  the  "  JJiogra- 
phia  Britannica"  Johnson,  though  he  valued  him 
highly,  was  of  opinion  that  there  was  not  so  much  in 
his  great  work,  "  A  Political  Survey  of  Great-Britain," 

'-  It  has  been  mentioned  to  me  by  an  accurate  English  friend,  that  Dr.  Johnstm 
could  never  have  used  the  phrase  almost  nothing,  as  not  being  English  ;  and  there- 
fore I  have  put  another  in  its  place.  At  the  same  time,  1  am  not  quite  convinced 
it  is  not  good  English.  For  the  best  writers  use  this  phrase  "  litilt  or  nothing ;"  i.  o. 
a:lmOst  so  little  as  to  be  nothing. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  So  J 

as  the  world   had  been   taught  to  expect  ;*  and  had  i77^. 
said  to   me,  that   he  beheved   Campbell's  disappoint-  "^^^ 
ment  on  account  of  the  bad  success  of  that  work,  had    C7. 
killed  him.     lie   this  evening  observed  of  it,  "  That 
work  was  his  death."     Mr.   Warton,  not  adverting  to 
his  meaning,  answered,  "  1  believe  so  ;  from  the  great 
attention  he   bestowed  on  it."     .Iohnson.  "  Nay,  Sir, 
he  died  of  i.an/  of  attention,  if  he  died  at  all  by  that 
book." 

We  talked  of  a  work  much  in  vogue  at  that  time, 
written  in  a  very  mellifluous  style,  but  which,  under 
pretext  of  another  subject,  contained  much  artful  infi- 
delity. 1  said  it  was  not  fair  to  attack  us  unexpected- 
ly ;  he  should  have  warned  us  of  our  danger,  before 
we  entered  his  garden  of  flowery  eloquence,  by  adver- 
tising, "  Spring-guns  and  men-traps  set  here."  The 
authour  had  been  an  Oxonian,  and  was  remembered 
there  for  having  "  turned  Papist."  1  observed,  that  as 
he  had  chans-ed  several  times — from  the  Church  of 
England  to  the  Church  of  Rome, — from  the  Church  of 
Rome  to  infidelity, — I  did  not  despair  yet  of  seeing 
him  a  methodist  preacher.  Johnson,  (laughing.)  "It 
is  said,  that  his  range  has  been  more  extensive,  and 
that  he  has  once  been  Mahometan.  However,  now 
that  he  has  published  his  infidelity,  he  will  probably 
persist  in  it."  Boswell.  "  1  am  not  quite  sure  of  that, 
Sir." 

I  mentioned  Sir  Richard  Steele  having  published  his 
"  Christian  Hero,"  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  oblig- 
ing himself  to  lead  a  religious  life ;  yet,  that  his  con- 
duct was  by  no  means  strictly  suitable."  Johnson. 
"  Steele,  I  believe,  practised  the  lighter  vices." 

Mr.  Warton,  being  engaged,  could  not  sup  with  us 
at  our  inn  ;  we  had  therefore  another  evening  by  our- 
selves. I  asked  Johnson,  whether  a  man's  being  for-  . 
ward  to  make  himself  known  to  eminent  people,  and 
seeing  as  much  of  life,  and  getting  as  much  informa- 
tion as  he  could  in  every  way,  was  not  yet  lessening 
himself  bv   his  forwardness.     Johnson.  "No,  Sir;  a 

■'  Vet  surely  it  is  a  very  useful  work,  and  of  wonderful  research  and  labour  for 
one  man  to  have  executed. 


'256  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  man  always  makes  himself  greater  as  he  increases  his 

^knowledge." 

67.  I  censured  some  ludicrous  fantastick  dialogues  be- 
tween two  coach-horses  and  other  such  stuff,  which  Ba- 
retti  had  lately  published.  He  joined  with  me,  and  said, 
*'  Nothing  odd  will  do  long.  '  Tristram  Shandy^  did  not 
last.^'  I  expressed  a  desire  to  be  acquainted  with  a 
lady  who  had  been  much  talked  of,  and  universally 
celebrated  for  extraordinary  address  and  insinuation. 
Johnson.  "  Never  believe  extraordinary  characters 
which  you  hear  of  people.  Depend  upon  it,  Sir,  the}?^ 
are  exaggerated.  You  do  not  see  one  man  shoot  a 
;.  great  deal  higher  than  another."  I  mentioned  Mr. 
\  Burke.  Johnson.  "  Yes ;  Burke  is  an  extraordinary 
man.  His  stream  of  mind  is  perpetual."  It  is  very 
pleasing  to  me  to  record,  that  Johnson's  high  estima- 
tion of  talents  of  this  gentleman  was  uniform  from  their 
early  acquaintance.  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  informs  me, 
that  when  Mr.  Bnrke  was  first  elected  a  member  of  Par- 
liament, and  Sir  John  Hawkins  expressed  a  wonder  at  his 
attaining  a  seat,  Johnson  said,  "  Now  we  who  know 
Mr.  Burke,  know,  that  he  will  be  one  of  the  first  men 
in  the  country."  And  once,  when  Johnson  was  ill, 
and  unable  to  exert  himself  as  much  as  usual  without 
fatigue,  Mr.  Burke  having  been  mentioned,  he  said 
"  That  fellow  calls  forth  all  my  powers.  Were  1  to  see 
Burke  now  it  would  kill  me."  So  much  was  he  accus- 
tomed to  consider  conversation  as  a  contest,  and  such 
was  his  notion  of  Burke  as  an  opponent. 

Next  morning,  Thursday,  March  21,  we  set  out  in 
a  post-chaise  to  pursue  our  ramble.  It  was  a  delightful 
day,  and  we  rode  through  Blenheim  park.  When  I 
looked  at  the  magnificent  bridge  built  by  John  Duke 
of  Marlborough,  over  a  small  rivulet,  and  recollected 
the  Epigram  made  upon  it — 

"  The  lofty  arch  his  high  ambition  shows, 

"  The  stream,  an  emblem  of  his  bounty  flows :" 

and  saw  that  now,  by  the  genius  of  Brown,  a  magnifi- 
cent body  of  water  was  collected,  I  said,  "  They  have 
droii^ned  the  Epigram."     I  observed  to  him,  wliile  in 


DR.    JOHNSON.  2o7 

the  midst  of  the  noble  scene  around  us,  "  You  and  I,  i??*^ 
Sir,  have,  I  think,  seen  together  the  extremes  of  what  '^^f^^ 
can  be  seen  in  Ihitain — the  wild  rough  ishmd  of  Mull,   07. 
and  IJlenheim  park." 

We  (lined  at  an  excellent  inn  at  Chapel-house,  where 
he  expatiated  on  the  felicity  of  England  in  its  taverns 
and  inns,  and  triumphed  over  the  French  for  not  having, 
in  any  perfection,  the  tavern  life.  "  There  is  no  pri- 
vate house,  (said  he,)  in  which  people  can  enjoy  them- 
selves so  well,  as  at  a  t^apital  tavern.  Let  there  be  ever 
so  great  plenty  of  good  things,  ever  so  much  grandeur, 
ever  so  much  elegance,  ever  so  much  desire  that  every 
body  should  be  easy  ;  in  the  nature  of  things  it  cannot 
be  :  there  must  always  be  some  degree  of  care  and  anx- 
iety. The  master  of  the  house  is  anxious  to  entertain 
his  guests  ;  the  guests  are  anxious  to  be  agreeable  to 
him  :  and  no  man,  but  a  very  impudent  dog  indeed, 
can  as  freely  command  what  is  in  another  man's  house,  as 
if  it  were  his  own.  Whereas,  at  a  tavern,  there  is  a 
general  freedom  from  anxiety.  You  are  sure  you  are 
welcome :  and  the  more  noise  you  make,  the  more 
trouble  you  give,  the  more  good  things  you  call  for,  the 
wclcomer  you  are.  No  servants  will  attend  you  with 
the  alacrity  which  waiters  do,  who  are  incited  by  the 
prospect  of  an  immediate  reward  in  proportion  as  they 
please.  No,  Sir;  there  is  nothing  which  has  yet  been 
contrived  by  man,  by  which  so  much  happiness  is  pro- 
duced as  by  a  good  tavern  or  inn."^  He  then  repeat- 
ed, with  great  emotion,  Shenstone's  lines  : 

"  Whoe'er  has  travell'd  life's  dull  round, 
"  Where'er  his  stages  may  have  been, 

-  sir  John  Hawkins  has  preserved  very  few  Memorabilia  of  Johnson.  There  is, 
however,  to  be  found,  in  liis  bulky  tome,  a  very  excellent  one  upon  this  subject. 
"  In  contradiction  to  those,  who,  having  a  wife  and  children,  prefer  domestick  en- 
joyments to  those  which  a  tavern  affords,  I  have  heard  him  assert,  that  a  tavern 
•Jjair  luji  the  thrune  of  human  felicity. — '  As  soon  (said  he)  as  I  enter  the  door  of  a 
tavern,  I  experience  an  oblivion  of  care,  and  a  freedom  from  solicitude  :  when  I 
am  seated,  I  find  the  master  courteous,  and  the  servants  obsequious  to  my  call  ; 
anxious  to  know  and  ready  to  supply  my  wants  :  wine  there  exhilarates  my  spir- 
its, and  prompts  me  to  free  conversation  and  an  interchange  of  discourse  with 
those  whom  I  most  love  :  I  dogmatise  and  am  contradicted,  and  in  this  conflict  gf 
'Opinion  and  sentiments  I  find  delight." 

VOL.   IT.  3.3 


258  THE    LIFE    OF 

iTTfi.      "  May  sigh  to  think  he  still  has  found 
"  The  warmest  welcome  at  an  inn."® 

My  illustrious  friend,  I  thought,  did  not  sufficiently 
admire  Shenstone.  That  ingenious  and  elegant  gentle- 
man's opinion  of  Johnson  appears  in  one  of  his  letters 
to  Mr.  Greaves,  dated  Feb.  9,  1760.  "  I  have  lately 
been  reading  one  or  two  volumes  of  the  Rambler  ;  who, 
excepting  against  some  few  hardnesses'  in  his  manner, 
and  the  want  of  more  examples  to  enliven,  is  one  of 
the  most  nervous,  most  perspicuous,  most  concise,  most 
harmonious  prose  writers  I  know.  A  learned  diction 
improves  by  time." 

In  the  afternoon,  as  we  were  driven  rapidly  along  in 
the  post  chaise,  he  said  to  me  "  Life  has  not  many 
things  better  than  this." 

We  stopped  at  Stratford-upon-Avon,  and  drank  tea 
and  coffee  ;  and  it  pleased  me  to  be  with  him  upon  the 
classick  ground  of  Shakspeare's  native  place. 

He  spoke  slightingly  of  "  Dyer's  Fleece." — "  The 
subject,  Sir,  cannot  be  made  poetical.  How  can  a  man 
write  poetically  of  serges  and  druggets  !  Yet  you  will 
hear  many  people  talk  to  you  gravely  of  that  excellent 
poem,  "  The  Fleece."  Having  talked  of  Grainger's 
"  Sugar-Cane,"  I  mentioned  to  him  Mr.  Langton's 
having  told  me,  that  this  poem,  when  read  in  manu- 
script at  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds's,  had  made  all  the  assem- 
bled wits  burst  into  a  laugh,  when,  after  much  blank- 
verse  pomp,  the  poet  began  a  new  paragraph  thus : 

"  Now,  Muse,  let's  sing  of  r«/^." 

And  what  increased  the  ridicule  was,  that  one  of  the 
company,  who  slily  overlooked  the  reader,  perceived 

f'  We  happened  to  lie  this  night  at  the  inn  at  Henley,  where  Shenstone  wrote 
these  lines.* 


*  I  give  them  as  they  are  found  in  the  corrected  edition  of  his  Works,  pubh'shed 
iifter  his  death.     In  Dodsley's  collection  the  stanza  ran  thus  : 

"  Whoe'er  has  travell'd  life's  dull  round, 

"  Whate'er  his  various  tour  has  been, 
"  May  sigh  to  think  hjiv  oft  he  found 

"  His  wannest  welcome  at  an  hm." 

"  "  He  too  often  makes  use  of  the  abitrad  for  the  concreti." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  9.59 

that  the  word  had  been  orig^inally  mice^  and  had  been  i77f). 
altered  to  /v/Av,  as  more  dignified. «  ^^'^ 

This  passage  does  not  appear  in  the  printed  work.  c?. 
Dr.  (Jrainger,  or  some  of  his  friends,  it  should  seem, 
having  become  sensible  that  introducing  even  Rats,  in 
a  grave  poem,  might  be  liable  to  banter.  He,  however, 
could  not  bring  himself  to  relinquish  the  idea  ;  for  they 
are  thus,  in  a  still  more  ludicrous  manner,  periphrast- 
ically  exhibited  in  his  poem  as  it  now  stands  : 

*'  Nor  with  less  waste  the  whiskerM  vermin  race 
"  A  countless  clan  despoil  the  lowland  cane." 

Johnson  said,  that  Dr.  Grainger  was  an  agreeable 
man  ;  a  man  who  would  do  any  good  that  was  in  his 
power.  His  translation  of  Tibullus,  he  thought,  was 
very  well  done  ;  but  "  The  Sugar-Cane,  a  poem,"  did 
not  please  him  ;'  for,  he  exclaimed,  "  What  could  he 
make  of  a  sugar-cane  ?  One  might  as  well  write  the 
'  Parsley-bed,  a  Poem ;'  or  '  The  Cabbage-garden,  a 
Poem."  BoswELL.  "  You  must  ihen  j)ickle  your  cab- 
bage with  the  sal  atticum"  Johnson.  "  You  know 
there  is  already  '  The  Hop-Garden,  a  Poem :'  and,  I 
think,  one  could  say  a  great  deal  about  cabbage.  The 
poem  might  begin  with  the  advantages  of  civilized  soci- 
ety over  a  rude  state,  exemplified  by  the  Scotch,  who 
had  no  cabbages  till  Oliver  Cromwell's  soldiers  intro- 

^  Such  is  this  little  laughable  incident,  which  has  been  often  related  Dr.  Percy, 
the  Bishop  of  Dromore,  who  was  an  intimate  friend  of  Dr.  Grainger,  and  has  a 
particular  regard  for  his  memory,  has  communicated  to  me  the  following  explana- 
tion : 

"  The  passage  in  question  was  originally  not  liable  to  such  a  perversion  ;  for  the 
authour  having  occasion  in  that  part  of  his  work  to  mention  the  havock  made  by 
rats  and  mice,  had  introduced  the  subject  in  a  kind  of  mock  heroick,  and  a  parody 
of  Homer's  battle  of  the  frogs  and  mice,  invoking  the  Muse  of  the  old  Grecian 
bard  in  an  elegant  and  well-turned  manner.  In  that  state  1  had  seen  it ;  but  af- 
terwards, unknown  to  me  and  other  friends,  he  had  been  persuaded,  contrary  to 
his  own  better  judgement,  to  alter  it,  so  as  to  produce  the  unlucky  cfFect  above- 
mentioned." 

The  above  was  written  by  the  Bishop  when  he  had  not  the  Poem  itself  to  recur 
to  ;  and  though  the  account  given  was  true  of  it  at  one  period,  yet  as  Dr.  Grain- 
ger afterwards  altered  the  p.issage  in  question ;  the  remarks  in  the  text  do  not 
now  apply  to  the  printed  poem. 

The  bishop  gives  this  character  of  Dr.  Grainger; — "  He  was  not  only  a  man  of 
genius  and  learning,  but  had  many  excellent  virtues  ;  being  one  of  the  most  gene- 
rous, friendly,  and  benevolent  men  I  ever  knew." 

'  Dr.  Johnson  said  to  me,  "  Percy,  Sir,  was  angry  with  me  for  laughing  at  the 
Sugar-cane  :  for  he  had  a  mind  to  make  a  groat  thing  of  Graingei's  cats." 


260  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  diiced  them  ;  and  one  might  thus  shew  how  arts  are 
SaT  propagated  by  conquest,  as  they  were  by  the  Roman 
67.    arms/'     He  seemed  to  be  much  diverted  with  the  fer- 
tihty  of  his  own  fancy. 

I  told  him,  that  I  heard  Dr.  Percy  was  writing  the 
history  of  the  wolf  in  Great-Britain.  Johnson.  "  The 
wolf.  Sir  !  why  the  wolf!  Why  does  he  not  write  of 
the  bear,  which  we  had  formerly  I  Nay,  it  is  said  we 
had  the  beaver.  Or  why  does  he  not  write  of  the  grey 
rat,  the  Hanover  rat,  as  it  is  called,  because  it  is  said 
to  have  come  into  this  country  about  the  time  that  the 
family  of  Hanover  came  ?  I  should  like  to  see  '  TZ/e 
History  of  the  Grey  Rat^  by  Thomas  Percy,  D.  I). 
Chaplaifi  in  Ordinary  to  His  Majestif^^  (laughing  im- 
moderately.) BoswELL.  "  I  am  afraid  a  court  chaplain 
could  not  decently  write  of  the  grey  rat."  Johnson. 
*'  Sir,  he  need  not  give  it  the  name  of  the  Hanover 
rat."  Thus  could  he  indulge  a  luxuriant  sportive  im- 
agination, when  talking  of  a  friend  whom  he  loved  and 
esteemed. 

He  mentioned  to  me  the  singular  history  of  an  in- 
genious acquaintance.  "  He  had  practised  physick  in 
various  situations  with  no  great  emolument.  A  West- 
India  gentleman,  whom  he  delighted  by  his  conversa- 
tion, gave  him  a  bond  for  a  handsome  annuity  during 
his  life,  on  the  condition  of  his  accompanying  him  to 
the  West-Indies,  and  living  with  him  there  for  two 
years.  He  accordingly  embarked  with  the  gentleman  ; 
but  upon  the  voyage  fell  in  love  with  a  young  woman 
who  happened  to  be  one  of  the  passengers,  and  married 
the  wench.  From  the  imprudence  of  his  disposition 
he  quarrelled  with  the  gentleman,  and  declared  he 
would  have  no  connection  with  him.  So  he  forfeited 
the  annuity.  He  settled  as  a  physician  in  one  of  the 
Leeward  Islands.  A  man  was  sent  out  to  him  merely 
to  compound  his  medicines.  This  fellow  set  up  as  rival 
to  him  in  his  practice  of  physick,  and  got  so  much  tiu^ 
better  of  him  in  the  opinion  of  the  people  of  the  island, 
that  he  carried  away  all  the  business,  upon  which  h(- 
returned  to  England,  and  soon  after  died." 


I 


DR.   JOHNSON.  261 

On  Friday,  March  2^,  having  set  out  early  from  ^776. 
Henley,  where  we  had  lain  the  preceding  night,  we  '^^ 
arrived  at  Birmingham  about  nine  o'clock,  and,  after  oy. 
breakfast,  went  to  call  on  his  old  schoolfellow  Mr.  Hec- 
tor. A  very  stupid  maid,  who  opened  the  door,  told 
us,  that,  "  her  master  was  gone  out ;  he  was  gone  to 
the  country  ;  she  could  not  tell  when  he  would  return." 
In  short,  she  gave  us  a  miserable  reception  ;  and  John- 
son observed,  "  She  would  have  behaved  no  better  to 
people  who  wanted  him  in  the  way  of  his  profession." 
He  said  to  her,  "  My  name  is  Johnson  ;  tell  him  1  call- 
ed. Will  you  remember  the  name!"  She  answered 
with  rustick  simplicity,  in  the  Warwickshire  pronunci- 
ation, "  I  don^t  understand  you,  Sir." — "  Blockhead, 
(said  he,)  I'll  write."  I  never  heard  the  word  blockhead 
applied  to  a  woman  before,  though  1  do  not  see  why  it 
should  not,  when  there  is  evident  occasion  for  it. '  He, 
however,  made  another  attempt  to  make  her  understand 
him,  and  roared  loud  in  her  ear,  "  Johnson,^''  and  then 
she  catched  the  sound. 

We  next  called  on  Mr.  Lloyd,  one  of  the  people 
called  Quakers.  He  too  was  not  at  home,  but  Mrs. 
Lloyd  was,  and  received  us  courteously,  and  asked  us 
to  dinner.  Johnson  said  to  me,  "  After  the  uncer- 
tainty of  all  human  things  at  Hector^s,  this  invitation 
came  very  well."  We  walked  about  the  town,  and  he 
was  pleased  to  see  it  increasing. 

I  talked  of  legitimation  by  subsequent  marriage, 
which  obtained  in  the  Roman  law,  and  still  obtains  in 
the  law  of  Scotland.  Johnson.  "  I  think  it  a  bad 
thing  ;  because  the  chastity  of  women  being  of  the 
utmost  importance,  as  all  property  depends  upon  it, 
they  who  forfeit  it  should  not  have  any  possibility  of 
being  restored  to  good  character  ;  nor  should  the  chil- 
dren, by  an  illicit  connection,  attain  the  full  right  of 

'  My  worthy  friend  Mr.  Langton,  to  whom  I  am  under  innumerable  obhgations 
in  the  course  of  my  Johnsonian  History,  has  furnished  me  with  a  droll  illustration 
of  this  question.  An  honest  carpenter,  after  giving  some  anecdote,  in  his  presence, 
of  the  ill  treatment  which  he  had  received  from  a  clerg^'man's  wife,  who  was  a 
noted  termagant,  and  whom  he  accused  of  unjust  dealing  m  some  transaction  with 
him,  added,  "  I  took  care  to  let  her  know  what  I  thought  of  her."  And  being  ask- 
ed, "  What  did  you  say  ?"  ajuwcrcd,  "  \  told  her  she  was  a  scoundrel." 


262  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  lawful  children,  by  the  posteriour  consent  of  the  of- 
fending parties."  His  opinion  upon  this  subject  de- 
serves consideration.  Upon  his  principle  there  may, 
at  times,  be  a  hardship,  and  seemingly  a  strange  one, 
upon  individuals  ;  but  the  general  good  of  society  is 
better  secured.  And,  after  all,  it  is  unreasonable  in  an 
individual  to  repine  that  he  has  not  the  advantage  of  a 
state  which  is  made  different  from  his  own,  by  the 
social  institution  under  w^iich  he  is  born.  A  woman 
does  not  complain  that  her  brother,  who  is  younger 
than  her,  gets  their  common  father's  estate.  Why 
then  should  a  natural  son  complain  that  a  younger 
brother,  by  the  same  parents  lawfully  begotten,  gets  it! 
The  operation  of  law  is  similar  in  both  cases.  Besides, 
an  illegitimate  son,  who  has  a  younger  legitimate  broth- 
er by  the  same  father  and  mother,  has  no  stronger 
claim  to  the  father's  estate,  than  if  that  legitimate  broth- 
er had  only  the  same  father,  from  whom  alone  the 
estate  descends. 

Mr.  Lloyd  joined  us  in  the  street  ;  and  in  a  little 
while  we  met  Friend  Hector^  as  Mr.  Lloyd  called  him. 
It  gave  me  pleasure  to  observe  the  joy  which  Johnson 
and  he  expressed  on  seeing  each  other  again.  Mr. 
Lloyd  and  I  left  them  together,  while  he  obligingly 
shewed  me  some  of  the  manufactures  of  this  very 
curious  assemblage  of  artificers.  We  all  met  at  dinner 
at  Mr.  Lloyd's,  where  we  were  entertained  with  great 
hospitality.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lloyd  had  been  married 
the  same  year  with  their  Majesties,  and  like  them,  had 
been  blessed  with  a  numerous  familv  of  fine  children, 
their  numbers  being  exactly  the  same.  Johnson  said, 
"  Marriage  is  the  best  state  for  a  man  in  general  ;  and 
every  man  is  a  worse  man,  in  proportion  as  he  is  unfit 
for  the  married  state." 

I  have  always  loved  the  simplicity  of  manners,  and 
the  spiritual-mindedness  of  the  Quakers  ;  and  talking 
with  Mr.  Lloyd,  I  observed,  that  the  essential  part  of 
religion  was  piety,  a  devout  intercourse  with  the  Divin- 
ity ;  and  that  many  a  man  was  a  Quaker  without 
knowing  it. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  263 

As  Dr.  Johnson  had  said  to  me  in  the  morning,  n/t>. 
while  we  walked  together,  that  he  liked  individuals  ^^^ 
among  the  Cx^iiakers,  but  not  the  sect  ;  when  we  were  07. 
at  Mr.  Lloyd's,  1  kept  clear  of  introducing  any  ques- 
tions concerning  the  peculiarities  of  their  faith,  lUit  1 
havins"  asked  to  look  at  Haskerville's  edition  of  "  Bar- 
clay's  Apology,"  Johnson  laid  hold  of  it  ;  and  the 
chapter  on  baptism  happening  to  open,  Johnson  re- 
marked, "  He  says  there  is  neither  precept  nor  practice 
for  baptism,  in  the  scriptures  ;  that  is  false."  Here  he 
was  the  aggressor,  by  no  means  in  a  gentle  manner  ; 
and  the  good  Quakers  had  the  advantage  of  him  ;  for 
he  had  read  negligently,  and  had  not  observed  that 
Barclay  speaks  of  infant  baptism  ;  which  they  calmly 
made  him  perceive.  Mr.  Lloyd,  however,  was  in  a 
great  mistake  ;  for  when  insisting  that  the  rite  of  bap- 
tism by  water  was  to  cease,  when  the  ^y;/W//W  admin- 
istration of  Christ  began,  he  maintained,  that  John 
the  Baptist  said,  "  My  baptism  shall  decrease,  but  his 
shall  increase."  Whereas  the  words  are,  "  He  must 
increase,  but  I  must  decrease."* 

One  of  them  having  objected  to  the  "  observance  of 
days,  and  months,  and  years,"  Johnson  answered, 
"  The  Church  does  not  superstitiously  observe  days, 
merely  as  days,  but  as  memorials  of  important  facts. 
Christmas  might  be  kept  as  well  upon  one  day  of  the 
year  as  another  ;  but  there  should  be  a  stated  day  for 
commemorating  the  birth  of  our  Saviour,  because  there 
is  danger  that  what  may  be  done  on  any  day,  will  be 
neglected." 

He  said  to  me  at  another  time,  "  Sir,  the  holidays 
observed  by  our  church  are  of  great  use  in  religion." 
There  can  be  no  doubt  of  this,  in  a  limited  sense,  I 
mean  if  the  number  of  such  consecrated  portions  of 
time  be  not  too  extensive.  The  excellent  Mr.  Nelson^s 
"  Festivals  and  Fasts,"  which  has,  I  understand,  the 
greatest  sale  of  any  book  ever  printed  in  England,  ex- 
cept the  Bible,  is  a  most  valuable  help  to  devotion  ; 
and  in  addition  to  it  1  would  recommend  two  sermons 
on  the  same  subject,  by  Mr.  Pott,  Archdeacon  of  St. 

-■  John  iii.  30. 


264  THE    LIFE    OF 

177R.  Albans,  equally  distinguished  for  piety  and  elegance, 
^(y  I  am  sorry  to  have  it  to  say,  that  Scotland  is  the  only 
67.  *  Christian  country,  CathoUck  or  Protestant,  where  the 
great  events  of  our  religion  are  not  solemnly  commem- 
orated by  its  ecclesiastical  establishment,  on  days  set 
apart  for  the  purpose. 

'"  Mr.  Hector  was  so  good  as  to  accompany  me  to  see 
the  great  works  of  Mr.  Bolton,  at  a  place  which  he  has 
called  Soho,  about  two  miles  from  Birmingham,  which 
the  very  ingenious  proprietor  shewed  me  himself  to 
the  best  advantage.  I  wished  Johnson  had  been  with 
us  :  for  it  was  a  scene  which  I  should  have  been  glad 
to  contemplate  by  his  light.  The  vastness  and  the  con- 
trivance of  some  of  the  machinery  would  have  "  match- 
ed his  mighty  mind."  I  shall  never  forget  Mr.  Bolton^s 
expression  to  me  "  I  sell  here.  Sir,  what  ail  the  world 
desires  to  have. — Power,"  He  had  about  seven  hun- 
dred people  at  work.  I  contemplated  him  as  an  i?^ou 
chieftain.,  and  he  seemed  to  be  a  father  to  his  tribe. 
One  of  them  came  to  him,  complaining  grievously  of 
his  landlord  for  having  distrained  his  goods."  "  Your 
landlord  is  in  the  right,  Smith,  (said  Bolton.)  But  Pll 
tell  you  what  :  find  you  a  friend  who  will  lay  down  one 
half  of  your  rent,  and  Pll  lay  down  the  other  half;  and 
you  shall  have  your  goods  again." 

From  Mr.  Hector  1  now  learnt  many  particulars  of 
Dr.  Johnson's  early  life,  which,  with  others  that  he 
gave  me  at  different  times  since,  have  contributed  to 
the  formation  of  this  work. 

Dr.  Johnson  said  to  me  in  the  morning,  "  You  will 
see.  Sir,  at  Mr.  Hector's,  his  sister,  Mrs.  Careless,  a 
clergyman's  widow.  She  was  the  first  woman  with 
whom  I  was  in  love.  It  dropt  out  of  my  head  imper- 
ceptibly ;  but  she  and  I  shall  always  have  a  kindness 
for  each  other."  He  laughed  at  the  notion  that  a  man 
can  never  be  really  in  love  but  once,  and  considered  it 
as  a  mere  romantick  fancy. 

On  our  return  from  Mr.  Bolton's,  Mr.  Hector  took 
me  to  his  house,  where  we  found  Johnson  sitting  plac- 
idly at  tea  with  h\sjirsf  love ;  who  though  now  advanc- 
ed in  years,  was  a  genteel  woman,  very  agreeable  and 
well  bred. 


I 


DR.    JOHNSON.  Q65 

Johnson  lamented  to  Mr.  Hector  the  state  of  one  of  1776. 
their  Kchiiol-follows,  Mr.  Charles  Cougreve,  a  (;lc«gy- 2t^ 
man,  which  he  thus  described  :  "He  obtained,!  be-  67. 
lieve,  considerable  preferment  in  Ireland,  but  now  lives 
in  London,  quite  as  a  valetudinarian,  afraid  to  go  into 
anv  house  but  his  own.  He  takes  a  short  airing  in  his 
post-chaise  every  day.  He  has  an  elderly  woman, 
wliom  he  calls  cousin,  who  lives  with  him,  and  jogs  his 
elbow,  when  his  glass  has  stood  too  long  empty,  and 
encourages  him  in  drinking,  in  wliich  he  is  very  willing 
to  be  encouraged  ;  not  that  he  gets  drunk,  for  he  is  a 
very  pious  man,  but  he  is  always  muddy.  He  confess- 
es to  one  bottle  of  port  every  day,  and  he  probably 
drinks  more.  He  is  quite  unsocial  ;  his  conversation 
is  quite  monosyllabical  ;  and  when,  at  my  last  visit,  I 
asked  him  what  o'clock  it  was  ?  that  signal  of  my  de- 
parture had  so  pleasing  an  effect  on  him,  that  he  sprung 
up  to  look  at  his  watch,  like  a  greyhound  bounding  at 
a  hare."  When  Johnson  took  leave  of  Mr.  Hector,  he 
said,  "  Don't  grow  like  Congreve  ;  nor  let  me  grow 
like  him,  when  you  are  near  me." 

When  he  again  talked  of  Mrs.  Careless  to-night,  he 
seemed  to  have  had  his  affection  revived  ;  for  he  said, 
"  If  I  had  married  her,  it  might  have  been  as  happy  for 
me."  BoswELL.  "  Pray,  Sir,  do  you  not  suppose  that 
there  are  fifty  women  in  the  world,  with  any  one  of 
whom  a  man  may  be  as  happy,  as  with  any  one  woman 
in  particular."  Johnson.  "  Ay,  Sir,  fifty  thousand." 
BoswELL.  "  Then,  Sir,  you  are  not  of  opinion  with 
some  who  imagine  that  certain  men  and  certain  women 
are  made  for  each  other  ;  and  that  they  cannot  be  happy 
if  they  miss  their  counterparts,"  Johnson.  "  To  be 
sure  not.  Sir.  I  believe  marriages  would  in  general  be 
as  happy,  and  often  more  so,  if  they  were  all  made  by 
the  Lord  Chancellor,  upon  a  due  consideration  of  the 
characters  and  circumstances,  without  the  parties  hav- 
ing any  choice  in  the  matter." 

1  wished  to  have  staid  at  Birmingham  to-night,  to 

liave  talked  more  with  Mr.  Hector  ;  but  my  friend  was 

impatient  to  reach  his  native  city  ;  so  we  drove  on  that 

stage  in  the  dark,  and  were  long  pensive  and  silent. 

VOL.  JI.  .^i 


966  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  When  we  came  within  the  focus  of  the  Lichfield 
27^  l^iiipsi  "  Now  (said  he,)  we  are  getting  out  of  a  state 
67.  of  death."  We  put  up  at  the  Three  Crowns,  not  one 
of  the  great  inns,  but  a  good  old  fashioned  one,  which 
was  kept  by  Mr.  Wilkins,  and  was  the  very  next  house 
to  that  in  which  Johnson  was  born  and  brought  up,  and 
which  was  still  his  own  property.  ^  We  had  a  com- 
fortable supper,  and  got  into  high  spirits.  1  felt  all  my 
Toryism  glow  in  this  old  capital  of  Staffordshire.  1 
could  have  offered  incense  geriio  loci ;  and  I  indulged 
in  libations  of  that  ale,  which  Boniface,  in  "  The  Beaux 
Stratagem,"  recommends  with  such  an  eloquent  jollity. 
Next  morning  he  introduced  me  to  Mrs.  Lucy  Por- 
ter, his  step-daughter.  She  was  now  an  old  maid,  with 
much  simplicity  of  manner.  She  had  never  been  in 
London.  Her  brother,  a  Captain  in  the  navy,  had  left 
her  a  fortune  of  ten  thousand  pounds  ;  about  a  third  of 
which  she  laid  out  in  building  a  stately  house,  and 
making  a  handsome  garden,  in  an  elevated  situation  in 
Lichfield.  Johnson,  when  here  by  himself,  used  to 
live  at  her  house.  She  reverenced  him,  and  he  had  a 
parental  tenderness  for  her. 

We  then  visited  Mr.  Peter  Garrick,  who  had  that 
morning  received  a  letter  from  his  brother  David,  an- 
nouncing our  coming  to  Lichfield.  He  was  engaged 
to  dinner,  but  asked  us  to  tea,  and  to  sleep  at  his  house. 
Johnson,  however,  would  not  quit  his  old  acquaintance 
Wilkins,  of  the  Three  Crowns.  The  family  likeness 
of  the  Garricks  was  very  striking  ;  and  Johnson  thought 
that  David's  vivacity  was  not  so  peculiar  to  himself  as 
was  supposed.  "  Sir,  (said  he,)  I  don't  know  but  if 
Peter  had  cultivated  all  the  arts  of  gaiety  as  much  as 
David  has  done,  he  might  have  been  as  brisk  and  lively. 
Depend  upon  it.  Sir,  vivacity  is  much  an  art,  and  de- 
pends greatly  on  habit."  I  believe  there  is  a  good  deal 
of  truth  in  this,  notwithstanding  a  ludicrous  story  told 
me  by  a  lady  abroad,  of  a  heavy  German  baron,  who 


'  I  went  through  the  house  where  my  illustrious  friend  was  born,  with  a  rever- 
ence with  which  it  doubtless  will  long  be  visited.  An  engraved  view  of  it,  with 
the  adjacent  buildings,  i«  in  "The  Gentleman's  Magazine"  tor  February,  1785. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  267 

had  lived  much  with  the  young  Enghsh  at  Geneva,  and  ITTG. 
was  ambitious  to  be  as  hvely  as  they  ;  with   which  ^^ 
view,  he,  witli  assiduous  exertion,  was  jumping  over  (J7. 
the  tables  and  chairs  in  his  lodgings  ;  and   when  the 
people  of  the  house  ran  in  and  asked,  with  surprize, 
what   was  the    matter,    he   answered,    "  .S7/'  upprens 
fetrefifr 

We  dined  at  our  inn,  and  had  with  us  a  Mr.  Jack- 
son, one  of  Johnson's  school-fellows,  whom  he  treated 
with  much  kindness,  though  he  seemed  to  be  a  low 
man,  dull  and  untaught.  He  had  a  coarse  grey  coat, 
black  waistcoat,  greasy  leather  breeches,  and  a  yellow 
uncurled  wig  ;  and  his  countenance  had  the  ruddiness 
which  betokens  one  who  is  in  no  haste  to  "  leave  his 
can."  He  drank  only  ale.  He  had  tried  to  be  a  cut- 
ler at  Birmingham,  but  had  not  succeeded  ;  and  now 
he  lived  poorly  at  home,  and  had  some  scheme  of 
dressing  leather  in  a  better  manner  than  common  ;  to 
his  indistinct  account  of  which,  Dr.  Johnson  listened 
with  patient  attention,  that  he  might  assist  him  with 
his  advice.  Here  was  an  instance  of  genuine  human- 
ity and  real  kindness  in  this  great  man,  who  has  been 
most  unjustly  represented  as  altogether  harsh  and  des- 
titute of  tenderness.  A  thousand  such  instances 
might  have  been  recorded  in  the  course  of  his  long- 
life  ;  though  that  his  temper  was  warm  and  hasty,  and 
his  manner  often  rough,  cannot  be  denied. 

I  saw  here,  for  the  first  time,  oat  ale  ;  and  oat  cakes, 
not  hard  as  in  Scotland,  but  soft  like  a  Yorkshire  cake, 
were  served  at  breakfast.  It  was  pleasant  to  me  to 
find,  that  "  Oafs"  the  "  food  of  horses"  were  so 
much  used  as  the  food  of  the  people  in  Dr.  Johnson's 
own  town.  He  expatiated  in  praise  of  Lichfield  and 
its  inhabitants,  who,  he  said,  were  "  the  most  sober, 
decent  people  in  England,  the  genteelest  in  proportion 
to  their  wealth,  and  spoke  the  purest  English."  I 
doubted  as  to  the  last  article  of  this  eulogy  :  for  they 
had  several  provincial  sounds  ;  as  there^  pronounced 
likey^ffr,  instead  of  likeya;>;  once  pronounced  wooiise^ 
instead  oi  zc-unse,  or  iconse.  Johnson  himself  never  got 
entirely   free   of  those   provincial    accents.      Garrick 


968  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  sometimes  used  to  take  him  off,  squeezing  a  Lemon 
SaT  ^"'-^  ^  punch-bowl,  with  uncouth  gesticulations,  look- 
67.  '  ing  round  the  company,  and  calling  out,  "  Who's  for 
poonsh  /"* 

Very  little  business  appeared  to  be  going  forward  in 
Lichfield.  I  found  however  two  strange  manufac- 
tures for  so  inland  a  place,  sail-cloth  and  streamers  for 
ships  ;  and  1  observed  them  making  some  saddle- 
cloths, and  dressing  sheepskins  :  but  upon  the  whole, 
the  busy  hand  of  industry  seemed  to  be  quite  slack- 
ened. "  Surely,  Sir,  (said  1,)  you  are  an  idle  set  of 
people."  "  Sir,  (said  Johnson,)  we  are  a  city  of  phi- 
losophers, we  work  with  our  heads,  and  make  the 
boobies  of  Birmingham  work  for  us  with  their  hands." 

There  was  at  this  time  a  company  of  players  perform- 
ing at  Lichfield.  The  manager,  Mr.  Stanton,  sent  his 
compliments,  and  begged  leave  to  wait  on  Dr.  John- 
son. Johnson  received  him  very  courteously,  and  he 
drank  a  glass  of  wine  with  us.  He  was  a  plain  decent 
well-behaved  man,  and  expressed  his  gratitude  to  Dr. 
Johnson  for  having  once  got  him  permission  from  Dr. 
Taylor  at  Ashbourne  to  play  there  upon  moderate 
terms.  Garrick's  name  was  soon  introduced.  John- 
son. "  Garrick's  conversation  is  gay  and  grotesque. 
It  is  a  dish  of  all  sorts,  but  all  good  things.  There  is 
no  solid  meat  in  it :  there  is  a  want  of  sentiment  in  it. 
Not  but  that  he  has  sentiment  sometimes,  and  senti- 
ment too  very  powerful  and  very  pleasing  :  but  it  has 
not  its  full  proportion  in  his  conversation." 

When  we  were  by  ourselves  he  told  me,  "  Forty 
years  ago,  Sir,  I  was  in  love  with  an  actress  here,  Mrs. 
Emmet,  who  acted  Flora,  in  *  Flob  in  the  Well." 
What  merit  this  lady  had  as  an  actress,  or  what  was 
her  figure,  or  her  manner,  I  have  not  been  informed  ; 
but,  if  we  may  believe  Mr.  Garrick,  his  old  master's 
taste  in  theatrical  merit  was  by  no  means  refined  ;  he 
was  not  an  elegcms  formarum  spectator.     Garrick  used 

*  [Garrick  himself,  like  the  I  jclifitldians,  always  said — ihupnin^y,  dufnykr.     B.] 
[This  is  still  the  vulgar  "pronunciation  of  Ireland , where  the  pronunciation  ol  th« 

English  language  is  doubtless  that  which  generiilly  p: ovai'.ci'  \v.  r;n;;lajul  \\\  the 

time  of  Queen  Elizabeth.    M.] 


' 


DR.    JOHNSON.  265 

to  tell,  that  Johnson  said  of  an  actor,  who  played  Sir  >776. 
Harry  Wiklair  at  Lichfield,  "  There  is  a  courtly  vivac-  ^[^ 
jty  about  the  fellow  ;"  when  in  fact  according  to  Gar-   67. 
rick's  account,  "  he  was  the  most  vulgar  ruffian  that 
ever  went  upon  boards" 

AVe  had  promised  Mr.  Stanton  to  be  at  his  theatre 
on  Monday.  Dr.  Johnson  jocularly  proposed  me  to 
write  a  Prologue  for  the  occasion  :  "  A  Prologue,  by 
James  Boswell,  Esq.  from  the  Hebrides."  I  was 
really  inclined  to  take  the  hint.  Methought,  "  Pro- 
logue, spoken  before  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  at  Lich- 
field, 177()  ;"  would  have  sounded  as  well  as,  "  Pro- 
logue spoken  before  the  Duke  of  York,  at  Oxford,"  in 
Charles  the  Second's  time.  Much  might  have  been 
said  of  what  Lichfield  had  done  for  Shakspeare,  by 
producing  Johnson  and  Garrick.  But  I  found  he  was 
averse  to  it. 

We  went  and  viewed  the  museum  of  Mr.  Richard 
Green,  apothecary  here,  who  told  me  he  was  proud  of 
being  a  relation  of  Dr.  Johnson's.  It  was,  truely,  a 
wonderful  collection,  both  of  antiquities  and  natural 
curiosities,  and  ingenious  works  of  art.  He  had  all 
the  articles  accurately  arranged,  with  their  names  upon 
labels,  printed  at  his  own  little  press  ;  and  on  the 
staircase  leading  to  it  was  a  board,  with  the  names  of 
contributors  marked  in  gold  letters.  A  printed  cata- 
logue of  the  collection  was  to  be  had  at  a  bookseller's. 
Johnson  expressed  his  admiration  of  the  activity  and 
diligence  and  good  fortune  of  Mr.  Green,  in  getting  to- 
gether, in  his  situation,  so  great  a  variety  of  things  ; 
and  Mr.  Green  told  me  that  Johnson  once  said  to 
him,  "  Sir,  I  should  as  soon  have  thought  of  building 
a  man  of  war,  as  of  collecting  such  a  museum."  Mr. 
Green's  obliging  alacrity  in  shewing  it  was  very  pleas- 
ing. His  engraved  portrait,  with  which  he  has  favour- 
ed me,  has  a  motto  truely  characteristical  of  his  dispo-  . 
sition,  "  Nemo  sibi  vhat." 

A  physician  being  mentioned  who  had  lost  his 
practice,  because  his  whimsically  changing  his  religion 
had  made  people  distrustful  of  him,  1  maintained  that 
this  was  unreasonable,  as  religion  is  unconnected  with 


270  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  medical  skill.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  it  is  not  unreasonable  ; 
^^  for  when  people  see  a  man  absurd  in  what  they  under- 
67.  '  stand,  they  may  conclude  the  same  of  him  in  what 
they  do  not  understand.  If  a  physician  were  to  take 
to  eating  of  horse-flesh,  nobody  would  employ  him  ; 
though  one  may  eat  horse-flesh,  and  be  a  very  skilful 
physician.  If  a  man  were  educated  in  an  absurd  relig- 
ion, his  continuing  to  profess  it  would  not  hurt  him, 
though  his  changing  to  it  would."  ^ 

We  drank  tea  and  coffee  at  Mr.  Peter  Garrick's, 
where  was  Mrs.  Aston,  one  of  the  maiden  sisters  of 
Mrs.  Walmsley,  wife  of  Johnson's  first  friend,  and 
sister  also  of  the  lady  of  whom  Johnson  used  to  speak 
with  the  warmest  admiration,  by  the  name  of  Molly 
Aston,  who  was  afterwards  married  to  Captain  Brodie 
of  the  navy. 

On  Sunday,  March  24,  we  breakfasted  with  Mrs. 
Cobb,  a  widow  lady,  who  lived  in  an  agreeable  seques- 
tered place  close  by  the  town,  called  the  Friary,  it  hav- 
ing been  formerly  a  religious  house.  She  and  her  niece. 
Miss  Adey,  were  great  admirers  of  Dr.  Johnson  ;  and 
he  behaved  to  them  with  a  kindness  and  easy  pleasantry, 
such  as  we  see  between  old  and  intimate  acquaintance. 
He  accompanied  Mrs.  Cobb  to  St.  Mary's  church,  and 
I  went  to  the  cathedral,  where  I  was  very  much  de- 
lighted with  the  musick,  finding  it  to  be  peculiarly  sol- 
emn, and  accordant  with  the  words  of  the  service. 

We  dined  at  Mr.  Peter  Garrick's,  who  was  in  a  very 
lively  humour,  and  verified  Johnson's  saying,  that  if  he 
had  cultivated  gaiety  as  much  as  his  brother  David,  he 
might  have  equally  excelled  in  it.  He  was  to  day  quite 
a  London  narrator,  telling  us  a  variety  of  anecdotes 
with  that  earnestness  and  attempt  at  mimickry  which 
we  usually  find  in  the  wits  of  the  metropolis.  Dr.  John- 
son went  with  me  to  the  cathedral  in  the  afternoon,  ft 
was  grand  and  pleasing  to  contemplate  this  illustrious 
writer,  now  full  of  fame,  worshipping  in  "  the  solemn 
temple"  of  his  native  cit3^ 

=■  [Fothergill  a  Quaker,  and  Scliomberg  a  Jew,  had  the  greatest  practice  of  any 
two  pJiysicians  of  their  time.    B.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  271 

1  returned  to  tea  and  coffee  at  Mr.  Peter  Garrick's,  i77f>. 
and  then  found  Dr.  Johnson  at  the  Reverend  Mr.  Sew-  "J^ 
ard's,  Canon  Kosidentiary,  who  inhabited  the  l^isliop's  G7. 
palace,  in  which  Mr.  Walmsley  lived,  and  which  liad 
been  the  scene  of  many  happy  hours  in  Johnson's  early 
life.  Mr.  Seward  had,  with  ecclesiastical  hospitality 
and  politeness,  asked  me  in  the  morning,  merely  as  a 
stranger,  to  dine  with  him;  and  in  the  afternoon,  when 
I  was  introduced  to  him,  he  asked  Dr.  Johnson  and  me 
to  spend  the  evening  and  sup  with  him.  He  was  a  gen- 
teel well-bred  dignified  clergyman,  had  travelled  with 
Lord  Charles  Fitzroy,  uncle  of  the  present  Duke  of 
Grafton,  who  died  when  abroad,  and  he  had  lived  much 
in  the  great  world.  He  was  an  ingenious  and  literary- 
man,  had  published  an  edition  of  Beaumont  and  Fletch- 
er, and  written  verses  in  Dodsley's  collection.  His  la- 
dy was  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Hunter,  Johnson's  first 
schoolmaster.  And  now,  for  the  first  time,  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  his  celebrated  daughter,  Miss  Anna 

Seward,  to  whom  1  have  since  been  indebted  for  manv 

.  .  .      .  "^ 

civilities,  as  well  as  some  obliging  communications  con- 
cerning Johnson. 

Mr.  Seward  mentioned  to  us  the  observations  which 
he  had  made  upon  the  strata  of  earth  in  volcanos,  from 
which  it  appeared,  that  they  were  so  very  different  in 
depth  at  different  periods,  that  no  calculation  whatever 
could  be  made  as  to  the  time  required  for  their  forma- 
tion. This  fully  refuted  an  antimosaical  remark  intro- 
duced into  Captain  Brydone's  entertaining  tour,  I  hope 
heedlessly,  from  a  kind  of  vanity  which  is  too  common 
in  those  who  have  not  sufficiently  studied  the  most  im- 
poitant  of  all  subjects.  Dr.  Johnson,  indeed  had  said 
before,  independent  of  this  observation,  "  Shall  all  the 
accumulated  evidence  of  the  history  of  the  world; — 
shall  the  authority  of  what  is  unquestionably  the  most 
ancient  writing,  be  overturned  by  an  uncertain  remark 
such  as  this^' 

On  Monday,  ^larch  2o,  we  breakfasted  at  Mrs.  Lucy 
Porter's.  Johnson  had  sent  an  express  to  Dr.  Taylor's, 
acquainting  him  of  our  being  at  Lichfield,  and  Taylor 
had  returned  an  answer  that  his  post-chaise  should  come 


272  THE    LIFE    Ot 

1776.  for  us  this  day.  While  we  sat  at  breakfast,  Dr.  Jolin^ 
^^eJ^T  ^^"  received  a  letter  by  the  post,  which  seemed  to  agi- 
67.  tate  him  very  much.  When  he  had  read  it,  he  exclaim- 
ed, "  One  of  the  most  dreadful  things  that  has  happen- 
ed in  my  time."  The  phrase  mt/  time,  like  the  word 
age,  is  usually  understood  to  refer  to  an  event  of  a  pub- 
lick  or  general  nature.  I  imagined  something  like  an 
assassination  of  the  King — -like  a  gunpowder  plot  carried 
into  execution — or  like  another  fire  of  London.  When 
asked,  "  What  is  it,  Sir  ]"  he  answered,  "  Mr.  Thrale 
has  lost  his  only  son  !"  This  was,  no  doubt,  a  very  great 
affliction  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale,  which  their  friends 
would  consider  accordingly ;  but  from  the  manner  in 
which  the  intelligence  of  it  was  communicated  by  John- 
son, it  appeared  for  the  moment  to  be  comparative!}' 
small.  I,  however,  soon  felt  a  sincere  concern,  and  was 
curious  to  observe,  how  Dr.  Johnson  would  be  affect- 
ed. He  said,  "  This  is  a  total  extinction  to  their  family, 
as  much  as  if  they  were  sold  into  captivity."  Upon  my 
mentioning  that  Mr.  Thrale  had  daughters,  who  might 
inherit  his  wealth  ; — "  Daughters,  (said  Johnson,  warm- 
ly,) he'll  no  more  value  his  daughters  than — "  I  was 
going  to  speak. — "  Sir,  (said  he,)  don't  you  know  how 
you  yourself  think  ?  Sir,  he  wishes  to  propagate  his 
name."  In  short,  I  saw  male  succession  strong  in  his 
mind,  even  where  there  was  no  name,  no  family  of  any 
long  standing.  I  said,  it  was  lucky  he  was  not  present 
when  this  misfortune  happened.  Johnson.  "  It  is 
lucky  for  me.  People  in  distress  never  think  that  you 
feel  enough."  Boswell.  "  And,  Sir,  they  will  have 
the  hope  of  seeing  you,  which  will  be  a  relief  in  the 
mean  time  ;  and  when  you  get  to  them,  the  pain  will 
be  so  far  abated,  that  they  will  be  capable  of  being  con- 
soled by  you,  which,  in  the  first  violence  of  it,  I  be- 
lieve, would  not  be  the  case."  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir ; 
violent  pain  of  mind,  like  violent  pain  of  body,  m?isl 
be  severely  felt."  Boswell.  "  I  own.  Sir,  I  have  not 
so  much  feeling  for  the  distress  of  others,  as  some  peo- 
ple have,  or  pretend  to  have :  but  I  know  this,  that  I 
would  do  all  in  my  power  to  relieve  them."  Johnson. 
"  Sir,  it  is  affectation  to  pretend  to  feel  the  distress  of 


DR.   JOHNSON.  973 

Others,  as  much  as  they  do  themselves.     It  is  equally  1*7(3. 
so,  as  if  one  should  pretend  to  feel  as  much  pain  while  ^^.^ 
a  friend's  leg  is  cutting  off,  as  he  does.     No,  Sir;  you   67. 
have  expressed  the  rational  and  just  nature  of  sympa- 
thy.    I  would  have  gone  to  the  extremity  of  the  earth 
to  have  preserved  this  boy." 

lie  was  soon  quite  calm.  The  letter  was  from  Mr. 
Thrale's  clerk,  and  concluded,  "  I  need  not  say  how 
much  they  wish  to  see  you  in  London."  He  said,  "  We 
shall  hasten  back  from  Tavlor's." 

Mrs.  Lucy  Porter  and  some  other  ladies  of  the  place 
talked  a  great  deal  of  him  when  he  was  out  of  the 
room,  not  only  with  veneration  but  affection.  It  pleased 
me  to  find  that  he  was  so  much  beloved  in  his  native  city. 

Mrs.  Aston,  whom  1  had  seen  the  preceding  night, 
and  her  sister,  Mrs.  Gastrel,  a  widow  lady,  had  each 
a  house  and  garden,  and  pleasure-ground,  prettily  situ- 
ated upon  Stowhill,  a  gentle  eminence,  adjoining  to 
Lichfield.  Johnson  walked  away  to  dinner  there,  leav- 
ing me  by  myself  without  any  apology  ;  1  wondered  at 
this  want  of  that  facility  of  manners,  from  which  a  man 
has  no  difficulty  in  carrying  a  friend  to  a  house  where  he 
is  intimate ;  1  felt  it  very  unpleasant  to  be  thus  left  in 
solitude  in  a  country  town,  where  I  was  an  entire  stran- 
ger, and  began  to  think  myself  unkindly  deserted  :  but 
I  was  soon  relieved,  and  convinced  that  my  friend,  in- 
stead of  being  deficient  in  delicacy,  had  conducted  the 
matter  with  perfect  propriety,  for  I  received  the  follow- 
ing note  in  is  hand-writing  :  "  Mrs.  Gastrel,  at  the  lower 
house  on  Stowhill,  desires  Mr.  Boswell's  company  to 
dinner  at  two."  I  accepted  of  the  invitation,  and  had 
here  another  proof  how  amiable  his  character  was  in 
the  opinion  of  those  who  knew  him  best.  I  was  not 
informed,  till  afterwards,  that  Mrs.  Gastrel's  husband 
was  the  clergyman  who,  while  he  lived  at  Stratford-up- 
on-Avon, where  he  was  proprietor  of  Shakspeare's  gar- 
den, with  Gothick  barbarity  cut  down  his  mulberry- 
tree,'^  and,  as  Dr.  Johnson  told  me,  did  it  to  vex  his 

*  S€e  an  accurate  and  animated  statement  of  Mr.  Gastrel's  barbarity,  by  Mr. 
Malone,  in  a  note  on  "  Some  account  of  the  Life  of  William  Shakspeare,"  prefix«d 
to  his  admirable  edition  of  that  Poet's  worlc*,  VeU  I.  p.  1 1 5. 
VOL.   IT.  :^}') 


974  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  neighbours.  His  lady,  I  have  reason  to  believe,  on  the 
^^j^^  same  authority,  participated  in  the  guilt  of  what  the  en- 
67.  thusiasts  of  our  immortal  bard  deem  almost  a  species  of 
sacrilege. 

After  dinner  Dr.  Johnson  wrote  a  letter  to  Mrs. 
Thrale,  on  the  death  of  her  son.  I  said  it  would  be 
very  distressing  to  Thrale,  but  she  would  soon  forget  it, 
as  she  had  so  many  things  to  think  of.  Johnson.  "  No, 
Sir,  Thrale  will  forget  it  first.  She  has  many  things  that 
she  matj  think  of.  He  has  many  things  that  he  must 
think  of."  This  was  a  very  just  remark  upon  the  differ- 
ent effects  of  those  light  pursuits  which  occupy  a  vacant 
and  easy  mind,  and  those  serious  engagements  which 
arrest  attention,  and  keep  us  from  brooding  over  grief. 

He  observed  of  Lord  Bute,  "  it  was  said  of  Augustus, 
that  it  would  have  been  better  for  Rome  that  he  had 
never  been  born,  or  had  never  died.  So  it  would  have 
been  better  for  this  nation  if  Lord  Bute  had  never  been 
minister,  or  had  never  resigned." 

In  the  evening  we  went  to  the  Town-hall,  which 
was  converted  into  a  temporary  theatre,  and  saw  "  The- 
odosius,"  with  "  The  Stratford  Jubilee."  I  was  happy 
to  see  Dr.  Johnson  sitting  in  a  conspicuous  part  of  the 
pit,  and  receiving  affectionate  homage  from  all  his  ac- 
quaintance. We  were  quite  gay  and  merry.  I  after- 
wards mentioned  to  him  that  I  condemned  myself  for 
being  so,  when  poor  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale  were  in  such 
distress.  Johnson.  "  You  are  wrong.  Sir  ;  twenty 
years  hence  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale  will  not  suffer  much 
pain  from  the  death  of  their  son.  Now,  Sir,  you  are  to 
consider,  that  distance  of  place,  as  well  as  distance  of 
time,  operates  upon  the  human  feelings.  I  would  not 
have  you  be  gay  in  the  presence  of  the  distressed,  be- 
cause it  would  shock  them ;  but  you  may  be  gay  at  a 
distance.  Pain  for  the  loss  of  a  friend,  or  of  a  relation 
whom  we  love,  is  occasioned  by  the  want  which  we  feel. 
Li  time  the  vacuity  is  filled  with  something  else  ;  or 
sometimes  the  vacuity  closes  up  of  itself." 

Mr.  Seward  and  Mr.  Pearson,  another  clergyman 
here,  supped  with  us  at  our  inn,  and  after  they  left  us, 
we  sat  up  late  as  we  used  to  do  in  London. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  $75 

Here  I   shall  record  some  fragments  of  my  friend's  i??'*. 
conversation  during  this  jaunt.  ^uT 

"  Marriage,  Sir,  is  much  more  necessary  to  a  man  than  67. 
to  a  woman  :  for  he  is  much  less  able  to  supply  himself 
with  domestick  comforts.  You  will  recollect  my  say- 
ing to  some  ladies  the  other  day,  that  I  had  often  won- 
dered why  young  women  should  marry,  as  they  have 
so  much  more  freedom,  and  so  much  more  attention 
paid  to  them  while  unmarried,  than  when  married.  1 
indeed  did  not  mention  the  6iron({  reason  for  their  mar- 
rying — ilie  mecliunical  reason."  Boswell.  "  Why 
that  /a-  a  strong  one.  But  does  not  imagination  make 
it  much  more  important  than  it  is  in  reality  !  Is  it  not,  to 
a  certain  degree,  a  delusion  in  us  as  well  as  in  women  V* 
Johnson.  "  Why  yes,  Sir ;  but  it  is  a  delusion  that  is 
always  beginning  again."  Boswell.  "  I  don't  know 
but  there  is  upon  the  whole  more  misery  than  happi- 
ness produced  by  that  passion."  Johnson.  "  1  don't 
think  so.  Sir." 

"  Never  speak  of  a  man  in  his  own  presence.  It  is 
always  indelicate,  and  may  be  olTensive." 

"  Questioning  is  not  the  mode  of  conversation  among 
gentlemen.  It  is  assuming  a  superiority,  and  it  is  par- 
ticularly wrong  to  question  a  man  concerning  himself. 
There  may  be  parts  of  his  former  life  which  he  may  not 
wish  to  be  made  known  to  other  persons,  or  even  brought 
to  his  own  recollection." 

"  A  man  should  be  careful  never  to  tell  tales  of  him-    _ 
self  to  his  own  disadvantage.     People  may  be  amused 
and  laugh   at  the  time,   but  they  will  be  remembered 
and  brought  out  against  him  upon  some  subsequent  oc- 
casion." 

"  ]SIuch  maybe  done  if  a  man  puts  his  whole  mind 
to  a  particular  object.  By  doing  so,  Norton  ^  has  made 
himself  the  great  lawyer  that  he  is  allowed  to  be." 

I  mentioned  an  acquaintance  of  mine,  a  sectary,  who 
was  a  very  religious  man,  who  not  only  attended  regu- 
larly on  publick  worship  with  those  of  his  communion, 
but  made  a  particular  study  of  the  Scriptures,  and  even 

"  [sir  Fletcher  Norton,  afterwards  Speaker  of  tlie  House  of  Commons,  and  in 
1782  created  Barou  Grantley.     M.j 


276  THE    LIFE   OP 

1776.  wrote  a  commentary  on  some  parts  of  them,  yet  wa&^ 
]JJ^  known  to  be  very  licentious  in  indulging  himself  with 
67. '  women  ;  maintaining  that  men  are  to  be  saved  by  faith 
alone,  and  that  the  Christian  religion  had  not  prescrib- 
ed an}'  fixed  rule  for  the  intercourse  between  the  sexes. 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  there  is  no  trusting  to  that  crazy 
piety.^' 

I  observed  that  it  was  strange  how  well  Scotchmen 
were  known  to  one  another  in  their  own  country,  though 
born  in  very  distant  counties;  for  we  do  not  find  that 
the  gentlemen  of  neighbouring  counties  in  England  are 
mutually  known  to  each  other.  Johnson,  with  his  usu- 
al acuteness,  at  once  saw  and  explained  the  reason  of 
this ;  "  Why,  Sir,  you  have  Edinburgh,  where  the  gen- 
tlemen from  all  your  counties  meet,  and  which  is  not 
so  large  but  they  are  all  known.  There  is  no  such  com- 
mon place  of  collection  in  England,  except  London, 
where  from  its  great  size  and  diffusion,  many  of  those 
who  reside  in  contiguous  counties  of  England,  may  long 
remain  unknown  to  each  other." 

On  Tuesday,  March  26,  there  came  for  us  an  equi- 
page properly  suited  to  a  wealthy  well-beneficed  clergy- 
man :  Dr.  Taylor's  large,  roomy  post-chaise,  drawn  by 
four  stout  plump  horses,  and  driven  by  two  steady  jolly 
postillions,  which  conveyed  us  to  Ashbourne ;  where 
i  found  my  friend's  schoolfellow  living  upon  an  estab- 
lishment perfectly  corresponding  with  his  substantial 
creditable  equipage  :  his  house,  garden,  pleasure- 
grounds,  table,  in  short  every  thing  good,  and  no  scant- 
iness appearing.  Every  man  should  form  such  a  plan 
of  living  as  he  can  execute  completely.  Let  him  not 
draw  an  outline  wider  than  he  can  fill  up.  1  have  seen 
many  skeletons  of  shew  and  magnificence  which  excite 
at  once  ridicule  and  pity.  Dr.  Taylor  had  a  good  estate 
of  his  own,  and  good  preferment  in  the  church,  being 
a  prebendary  of  Westminster,  and  rector  of  Bosworth. 
He  was  a  diligent  justice  of  the  peace,  and  presided 
over  the  town  of  Ashbourne,  to  the  inhabitants  of  which 
I  was  told  he  was  very  liberal ;  and  as  a  proof  of  this  il 
ivas  mentioned  to  me,  he  had  the  preceding  winter,  dis- 
tributed two  hundred  pounds  among  such  of  them  as 


DR.   JOHNSON,  277 

Stood  in  need  of  his  assistance.     He  had  consequently  *776. 
a  considerable  pohtical  interest  in  the  county  of  Derby,  ^^^ 
which  he  employed  to  support  the  Devonshire  family  ;   67. 
for  though  the  schoolfellow  and  friend  of  Johnson,  he 
was  a  Whig.     I  could  not  perceive  in   his  character 
much  congeniality  of  any  sort  with  that  of  Johnson, 
who,  however  said  to  me,  "  Sir,  he  has  a  very  strong 
understanding."    His  size,  and  figure,  and  countenance, 
and  manner,  were  that  of  a  hearty  English  'Squire,  with 
the  parson  super-induced  :  and  I  took  particular  notice 
of  his  upper-servant,  Mr.  Peters,  a  decent  grave  man, 
in  purple  clothes,  and  a  large  white  wig,  like  the  butler 
or  major  domo  of  a  bishop. 

Dr.  Johnson  and  Dr.  Taylor  met  with  great  cordial- 
ity ;  and  Johnson  soon  gave  him  the  same  sad  account 
of  their  schoolfellow,  Congreve,  that  he  had  given  to 
Mr.  Hector ;  adding  a  remark  of  such  moment  to  the 
rational  conduct  of  a  man  in  the  decline  of  life,  that 
deserves  to  be  imprinted  upon  every  mind  :  "  There  is 
nothing  against  which  an  old  man  should  be  so  much 
upon  his  guard  as  putting  himself  to  nurse."  Innumer- 
able have  been  the  melancholy  instances  of  men  once 
distinguished  for  firmness,  resolution,  and  spirit,  who 
in  their  latter  days  have  been  governed  like  children, 
by  interested  female  artifice. 

Dr.  Taylor  commended  a  physician  who  was  known 
to  him  and  Dr.  Johnson,  and  said,  "  I  fight  many  bat- 
tles for  him,  as  many  people  in  the  country  dislike 
him."  Johnson.  "  But  you  should  consider.  Sir,  that 
by  every  one  of  your  victories  he  is  a  loser ;  for,  every 
man  of  whom  you  get  the  better,  will  be  very  angry, 
and  resolve  not  to  employ  him  ;  whereas  if  people  get 
the  better  of  you  in  argument  about  him,  they'll  think, 
'  We'll  send  for  Dr.  *****  nevertheless."  This  was  an 
observation  deep  and  sure  in  human  nature. 

Next  day  we  talked  of  a  book  in  which  an  eminent 
judge  was  arraigned  before  the  bar  of  the  publick,  as 
having  pronounced  an  unjust  decision  in  a  great  cause. 
Dr.  Johnson  maintained  that  this  pubhcation  would  not 
give  any  uneasiness  to  the  judge.  "  For,  (said  he,) 
either  he  act«d  honestly,  or  be  meant  t^  do  injustice. 


278  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  If  he  acted  honestly,  his  own  consciousness  will  pro- 
tect him  ;  if  he  meant  to  do  injustice,  he  will  be  glad 
to  see  the  man  who  attacks  him,  so  much  vexed." 

Next  day,  as  Dr.  Johnson  had  acquainted  Dr.  Tay- 
lor of  the  reason  for  his  returning  speedily  to  London, 
it  was  resolved  that  we  should  set  out  after  dinner.  A 
few  of  Dr.  Taylor's  neighbours  were  his  guests  that  day. 

Dr.  Johnson  talked  with  approbation  of  one  who 
had  attained  to  the  state  of  the  philosophical  wise  man, 
that  is,  to  have  no  want  of  any  thing.  "  Then,  Sir, 
(said  I,)  the  savage  is  a  wise  man."  "  Sir,  (said  he,)  I 
do  not  mean  simply  being  without, — but  not  having  a 
■want."  I  maintained,  against  this  proposition,  that  it 
was  better  to  have  fine  clothes,  for  instance,  than  not  to 
feel  the  want  of  them.  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir ;  fine 
clothes  are  good  only  as  they  supply  the  want  of  other 
means  of  procuring  respect.  Was  Charles  the  Twelfth, 
think  you,  less  respected  for  his  coarse  blue  coat  and 
black  stock?  And  you  find  the  King  of  Prussia  dresses 
plain,  because  the  dignity  of  his  character  is  sufficient." 

I  here  brought  myself  into  a  scrape,  for  I  heedlessly 
said,  "  Would  not  you^  Sir,  be  the  better  for  velvet 
embroidery !"  Johnson.  "  Sir,  you  put  an  end  to  all 
argument  when  you  introduce  your  opponent  himself. 
Have  you  no  better  manners?  There  is  your  zcaut.^'  I 
apologised  by  saying,  1  had  mentioned  him  as  an  in- 
stance of  one  who  wanted  as  little  as  any  man  in  the 
world,  and  yet,  perhaps,  might  receive  some  additional 
lustre  from  dress. 

Having  left  Ashbourne  in  the  evening,  we  stopped 
to  change  horses  at  Derby,  and  availed  ourselves  of  a 
moment  to  enjoy  the  conversation  of  my  countryman, 
Dr.  Butter,  then  physician  there.  He  was  in  great 
indignation  because  Lord  Mountstuart's  bill  for  a 
Scotch  militia  had  been  lost.  Dr.  Johnson  was  as  vio- 
lent against  it.  "  1  am  glad,  (said  he,)  that  Parlia- 
ment has  had  the  spirit  to  throw  it  out.  You  wanted 
to  take  advantage  of  the  timidity  of  our  scoundrels  ;" 
(meaning,  1  suppose,  the  ministry.)  It  may  be  observ- 
ed, that  he  used  the  epithet  scoundrel,  very  commonly, 
not  quite  in  the  sense  in   which  it  is  generally  under- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  279 

Stood,  but  as  a  strong  term  of  disapprobation  ;  as  when  i776. 
he  abruptly  answered  Mrs.  Thrale,  who  had  askt^d  liiui  J^^ 
how  he  did,  "  Heady  to  become  a  scoundrel,  Madam  ;   c?. 
with  a  httle  more  spoiling  you  will,  1  think,  make  me 
a  complete  rascal  :"' — he    meant,  easy   to   become  a 
capricious  and  selt'-indulgent  valetudinarian  ;  a  charac- 
ter for  which  I  have   heard  him  express  great  disgust. 

Johnson  had  with  him  upon  this  jaunt,  "  // i-*w/- 
merino  tl'IiighUlerra^'^  a  romance  praised  by  Cervan- 
tes ;  but  did  not  like  it  much.  He  said,  he  read  it  for 
the  lauij^uage,  by  way  of  preparation  for  his  Italian  ex- 
pedition.— We  lay  this  night  at  Loughborough. 

On  Thursday,  March  28,  we  pursued  our  journey. 
I  mentioned  that  old  Mr.  Sheridan  complained  of  the 
ingratitude  of  Mr.  Wedderburne  and  General  Fraser, 
who  had  been  much  obliged  to  him  when  they  were 
young  Scotchmen  entering  upon  life  in  England. 
Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  a  man  is  very  apt  to  complain 
of  the  ingratitude  of  those  who  have  risen  far  above 
him.  A  man  when  he  gets  into  a  higher  sphere,  into 
other  habits  of  life,  cannot  keep  up  all  his  former  con- 
nections. Then,  Sir,  those  who  knew  him  formerly  \ 
upon  a  level  with  themselves,  may  think  that  they 
ouoht  still  to  be  treated  as  on  a  level,  which  cannot 
be  ;  and  an  acquaintance  in  a  former  situation  may 
bring  out  things  which  it  would  be  very  disagreeable 
to  have  mentioned  before  higher  company,  though, 
perhaps,  every  body  knows  of  them."  He  placed  this 
subject  in  a  new  light  to  me,  and  showed,  that  a  man 
who  has  risen  in  the  world,  must  not  be  condemned 
too  harshly,  for  being  distant  to  former  acquaintance, 
even  though  he  may  have  been  much  obliged  to  them. 
It  is,  no  doubt,  to  be  wished,  that  a  proper  degree  of 
attention  should  be  shewn  by  great  men  to  their  early 
friends.  But  if  either  from  obtuse  insensibility  to  dif- 
ference of  situation,  or  presumptuous  forwardness, 
which  will  not  submit  even  to  an  exteriour  observance 
of  it,  the  dignity  of  high  place  cannot  be  preserved, 
when  they  are  admitted  into  the  company  of  those 
raised  above  the  state  in  which  they  once  were,  en- 

■  Anecdotes  of  Johoson,  p.  176. 


S80  THE    LIFE    OF 

J77^.  croachment  must  be  repelled,  and  the  kinder  feelings 
sacrificed.  To  one  of  the  very  fortunate  persons  whom 
I  have  mentioned,  namely,  Mr.  Wedderburne,  now 
Lord  Loughborough,  I  must  do  the  justice  to  relate, 
that  I  have  been  assured  by  another  early  acquaint- 
ance of  his,  old  Mr.  Macklin,  who  assisted  in  improv- 
ing his  pronunciation,  that  he  found  him  very  grateful. 
Macklin,  I  suppose,  had  not  pressed  upon  his  elevation 
with  so  much  eagerness,  as  the  gentleman  who  com- 
plained of  him.  Dr.  Johnson's  remark  as  to  the  jeal- 
ousy entertained  of  our  friends  who  rise  far  above  us, 
is  certainly  very  just.  By  this  was  withered  the  early 
friendship  between  Charles  Townshend  and  Akenside; 
and  many  similar  instances  might  be  adduced. 

He  said,  "  It  is  commonly  a  weak  man,  who  marries 
f  for  love."     We  then  talked  of  marrying  women  of  for- 

tune ;  and  1  mentioned  a  common  remark,  that  a  man 
may  be,  upon  the  whole,  richer  by  marrying  a  woman 
with  a  very  small  portion,  because  a  woman  of  fortune 
will  be  proportionally  expensive  ;  whereas  a  woman 
who  brings  none  will  be  very  moderate  in  expenses. 
Johnson.  "  Depend  upon  it.  Sir,  this  is  not  true.  A 
woman  of  fortune  being  used  to  the  handling  of  money, 
spends  it  judiciously  :  but  a  woman  who  gets  the  com- 
mand of  money  for  the  first  time  upon  her  marriage, 
has  such  a  gust  in  spending  it,  that  she  throws  it  away 
with  great  profusion." 

He  praised  the  ladies  of  the  present  age,  insisting 
that  they  were  more  faithful  to  their  husbands,  and 
more  virtuous  in  every  respect,  than  in  former  times, 
because  their  understandings  were  better  cultivated. 
It  was  an  undoubted  proof  of  his  good  sense  and  good 
disposition,  that  he  was  never  querulous,  never  prone 
to  inveigh  against  the  present  times,  as  is  so  common 
when  superficial  minds  are  on  the  fret.  On  the  con- 
trary, he  was  willing  to  speak  favourably  of  his  own 
age ;  and,  indeed,  maintained  its  superiority  in  every 
respect,  except  in  its  reverence  for  government  ;  the 
relaxation  of  which  he  imputed,  as  its  grand  cause,  to 
the  shock  which  our  monarchy  received  at  the  Revo- 
lution, though  necessary  ;  and  secondly,  to  the  timid 


DR.    JOHNSON.  98i 

concessions  made  to  faction  by  successive  administra-  '770. 
tions  in  the  reign  of  his  present  Majesty.  1  am  happy  ^^ 
to  think,  that  he  lived  to  see  the  Crown  at  last  recover  67.  * 
its  just  influence. 

At  Leicester  we  read  in  the  news-paper  that  Dr. 
James  was  dead.  I  thought  that  the  death  of  an  old 
school-fellow,  and  one  with  whom  he  had  lived  a  good 
deal  in  London,  would  have  affected  my  fellow-travel- 
ler much  :  but  he  only  said,  "  Ah  !  poor  Jamy." 
Afterwards,  however,  when  we  were  in  the  chaise,  he 
said,  with  more  tenderness,  "  Since  I  set  out  on  this 
jaunt,  I  have  lost  an  old  friend  and  a  young  one  ; — 
Dr.  James,  and  poor  Harry,"  (meaning  Mr.  Thrale's 
son.) 

Having  lain  at  St.  Alban's,  on  Thursday,  March  28, 
we  breakfasted  the  next  morning  at  Barnet.  1  ex- 
pressed to  him  a  weakness  of  mind  which  1  could  not 
help  ;  an  uneasy  apprehension  that  my  wife  and  chil- 
dren, who  were  at  a  great  distance  from  me,  might, 
perhaps,  be  ill.  "  Sir,  (said  he,)  consider  how  fool- 
ish you  would  think  it  in  ikem  to  be  apprehensive 
that  i/ou  are  ill."  This  sudden  turn  relieved  me  for 
the  moment  ;  but  1  afterwards  perceived  it  to  be  an 
ingenious  fallacy.-  I  might,  to  be  sure,  be  satisfied 
that  they  had  no  reason  to  be  apprehensive  about  me, 
because  I  knezi)  that  I  myself  was  well :  but  we  might 
have  a  mutual  anxiety,  without  the  charge  of  folly  ; 
because  each  was,  in  some  degree,  uncertain  as  to  the 
condition  of  the  other. 

I  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  our  approach  to  London, 
that  metropolis  which  we  both  loved  so  much,  for  the 
high  and  varied  intellectual  pleasure  which  it  furnishes. 
I  experienced  immediate  happiness  while  whirled  along 
with  such  a  companion,  and  said  to  him,  "  Sir,  you 
observed  one  day  at  General  Oglethorpe^s,  that  a  man 
is  never  happy  for  the  present,  but  when  he  is  drunk. 

'  [Surely  it  is  no  fallacy,  but  a  sound  and  rational  argument  He  who  is  per- 
fectly well,  and  apprehensive  concerning  the  state  of  another  at  a  distance  from 
liim,  inoivi  to  a  certainty  that  the  fears  of  that  person  concerning  ih  health  are 
imaginary  and  delusive  ;  and  hence  has  a  rational  ground  for  supposing  that  hi» 
«twn  apprehensions  concerning  his  absent  wife  or  friend,  are  equally  unfounded. 

M.l 
VOL.   T{  "ifi 


!^83  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  Will  you  not  add, — or  when  driving  rapidly  in  a  post- 
^^  chaise  ?"     Johnson.  "  No,  Sir,  you  are  driving  rapidly 
67.  from  something,  or  to  something.^^ 

Talking  of  melancholy,  he  said,  "  Some  men,  and 
very  thinking  men  too,  have  not  those  vexing  thoughts.  ^ 
Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  is  the  same  all  the  year  round. 
Beauclerk,  except  when  ill  and  in  pain,  is  the  same. 
But  I  believe  most  men  have  them  in  the  degree  in 
which  they  are  capable  of  having  them.  If  1  were  in 
the  country,  and  were  distressed  by  that  malady,  I 
would  force  myself  to  take  a  book  ;  and  every  time  I 
did  it  1  should  find  it  the  easier.  Melancholy,  indeed, 
should  be  diverted  by  every  means  but  drinking." 

We  stopped  at  Messieurs  Dillys,  booksellers  in  the 
Poultry  ;  from  whence  he  hurried  away,  in  a  hackney 
coach,  to  Mr.  Thrale's  in  the  Borough.  1  called  at  his 
house  in  the  evening,  having  promised  to  acquaint  Mrs. 
Williams  of  his  safe  return  ;  when,  to  my  surprize,  I 
found  him  sitting  with  her  at  tea,  and,  as  I  thought,  not 
in  a  very  good  humour  :  for,  it  seems,  when  he  had  got 
'  to  Mr.  Thrale's,  he  found  the  coach  was  at  the  door 
waiting  to  carry  Mrs.  and  Miss  Thrale,  and  Signor  Ba- 
retti,  their  Italian  master,  to  Bath.  This  was  not 
showing  the  attention  which  might  have  been  expect- 
ed to  the  "  Guide,  Philosopher,  and  Friend  ;"  the 
Imlac  who  had  hastened  from  the  country  to  console 
a  distressed  mother,  who  he  understood  was  very  anx- 
ious for  his  return.  They  had,  I  found,  without  cere- 
mony, proceeded  on  their  intended  journey.  I  was 
srlad  to  understand  from  him  that  it  was  still  resolved 
that  his  tour  to  Italy  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale  should 

'  The  phrase  "  vexing  thoughts,"  is,  I  think,  very  expressive.  It  has  been  fa- 
miliar to  me  from  my  cliildhood  ;  for  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  "  Psalms  in  Metre," 
used  in  the  churches  (I  believe  I  should  say  kirks)  of  Scotland,  Psal.  xliii.  v.  5. 

"  Why  art  thou  then  cast  down,  my  soul  ? 

"  What  should  discourage  thee  ? 
"  And  why  with  vexing  thoughts  art  thou 

"  Disquieted  in  me  ?" 

Some  allowance  must  no  doubt  be  made  for  early  prepossession.  But  at  a  matur- 
er  period  of  life,  after  looking  at  various  metrical  versions  of  the  Psalms,  I  am  well 
satisfied  that  the  version  used  in  Scotland,  is,  upon  the  whole,  the  best  ;  and  that 
it  is  vain  to  think  of  having  a  better.  It  has  in  genera!  a  simplicity  ;ind  unction 
of  sacred  Poesy  ;  and  in  many  parts  its  transfusion  is  admirable. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  283 

lake  place,  of  which  he  had  entertained  some  doubt,  on  1776. 
account  of  the  loss  which  they  had  suffered  ;  and  his  ^[^ 
doubts  afterwards  appeared  to  be  well-founded.  Jle  c?. 
observed,  indeed  very  justly,  that  "  their  loss  was  an 
additional  reason  for  their  going  abroad  ;  and  if  it  had 
not  been  fixed  that  he  should  have  been  one  of  the 
party,  he  would  force  them  out  ;  but  he  would  not 
advise  them  unless  his  advice  was  asked,  lest  they 
might  suspect  that  he  recommended  what  he  wished 
on  his  own  account."  I  was  not  pleased  that  his  inti- 
macy with  Mr.  Thrale's  family,  though  it  no  doubt 
contributed  much  to  his  comfort  and  enjoyment,  was 
not  without  some  degree  of  restraint  :  Not,  as  has  been 
grossly  suggested,  that  it  was  required  of  him  as  a  task 
to  talk  for  the  entertainment  of  them  and  their  com- 
pany ;  but  that  he  was  not  quite  at  his  ease  ;  which, 
however,  might  partly  be  owing  to  his  own  honest 
pride — that  dignity  of  mind  which  is  always  jealous  of 
appearing  too  compliant. 

On  Sunday,  March  31,  I  called  on  him,  and  showed 
him  as  a  curiosity  which  1  had  discovered,  his  "  Trans- 
lation of  Lobo's  Account  of  Abyssinia,"  which  Sir  John 
Pringle  had  lent  me,  it  being  then  little  known  as  one 
of  his  works.  He  said,  "  Take  no  notice  of  it,"  or  "  don't 
talk  of  it."  He  seemed  to  think  it  beneath  him,  though 
done  at  six-and-twenty.  1  said  to  him,  "  Your  style, 
Sir,  is  much  improved  since  you  translated  this."  He 
answered  with  a  sort  of  triumphant  smile,  "  Sir,  I  hope 
it  is." 

On  Wednesday,  April  3,  in  the  morning  I  found  him 
very  busy  putting  his  books  in  order,  and  as  they  were 
generally  very  old  ones,  clouds  of  dust  were  flying  around 
him.  He  had  on  a  pair  of  large  gloves  such  as  hedgers 
use.  His  present  appearance  put  me  in  mind  of  my 
uncle,  Dr.  BoswelPs  description  of  him,  "  A  robust  ge- 
nius, born  to  grapple  with  whole  libraries." 

1  gave  him  an  account  of  a  conversation  which  had 
passed  between  me  and  Captain  Cook,  the  day  before, 
at  dinner  at  Sir  John  Pringle's  ;  and  he  was  much  pleas- 
ed with  the  conscientious  accuracy  of  that  celebrated 
circumnavigator,  who  set  me  right  as  to  many  of  the 


§84  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  exaggerated  accounts  given  by  Dr.  Hawkesworth  of  his 
^J^  Voyages.  I  told  him  that  while  I  was  with  the  Cap- 
67.  '  tain,  1  catched  the  enthusiasm  of  curiosity  and  adven- 
ture, and  felt  a  strong  inchnation  to  go  with  him  on 
his  next  voyage.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  a  man  does 
feel  so,  till  he  considers  how  very  little  he  can  learn 
from  such  voyages."  Bos  well.  "  But  one  is  carried 
away  with  the  general  grand  and  indistinct  notion  of  A 
Voyage  round  the  World."  Johnson.  "  Yes, 
Sir,  but  a  man  is  to  guard  himself  against  taking  a  thing 
in  general."  I  said  I  was  certain  that  a  great  part  of 
what  we  are  told  by  the  travellers  to  the  South  Sea 
must  be  conjecture,  because  they  had  not  enough  of 
the  language  of  those  countries  to  understand  so  much 
as  they  have  related.  Objects  falling  under  the  observ- 
ation of  the  senses  might  be  clearly  known  ;  but  every 
thing  intellectual,  every  thing  abstract — politicks,  mor- 
als, and  religion,  must  be  darkly  guessed.  Dr.  John- 
son was  of  the  same  opinion.  He  upon  another  occa- 
sion, when  a  friend  mentioned  to  him  several  extraor- 
dinary facts,  as  communicated  to  him  by  the  circum- 
navigators, slily  observed,  "  Sir,  I  never  before  knew 
how  much  I  was  respected  by  these  gentlemen  ;  they 
told  me  none  of  these  things." 

He  had  been  in  company  with  Omai,  a  native  of  one 
of  the  South  Sea  Islands,  after  he  had  been  some  time 
in  this  country.  He  was  struck  with  the  elegance  of 
his  behaviour,  and  accounted  for  it  thus  :  "  Sir,  he  had 
passed  his  time,  while  in  England,  only  in  the  best  com- 
pany ;  so  that  all  that  he  had  acquired  of  our  manners 
was  genteel.  As  a  proof  of  this,  Sir,  Lord  Mulgrave 
and  he  dined  one  day  at  Streatham  ;  they  sat  with  their 
backs  to  the  light  fronting  me,  so  that  1  could  not  see 
distinctly  ;  and  there  was  so  little  of  the  savage  in  Omai, 
that  I  was  afraid  to  speak  to  either,  lest  1  should  mis- 
take one  for  the  other." 

We  agreed  to  dine  to-day  at  the  Mitre-tavern,  after 
the  rising  of  the  House  of  Lords,  where  a  branch  of 
the  litigation  concerning  the  Douglas  Estate,  in  which 
1  was  one  of  the  counsel,  was  to  come  on,  I  brought 
■with  me  Mr.  Myrray,  Solicitor-General  of  Scotland, 


DR.    JOHNSON.  986 

now  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Court  of  Session,  with  '77C 
the  title  of  Lord  Hendorland.  I  mentioned  Mr.  ^o- JTt'!^ 
hcitor's  relation,  Lord  Charles  Hay,  with  whom  1  knew  07. 
Dr.  Johnson  had  been  acquainted.  Johnson.  "  I 
wrote  something  for  Lord  Charles ;  and  1  thought  he 
had  nothing  to  fear  from  a  court-martial.  1  suffered  a 
great  loss  when  he  died  ;  he  was  a  mighty  pleasing  man 
in  conversation,  and  a  reading  man.  The  character  of 
a  soldier  is  high.  They  who  stand  forth  the  foremost 
in  danger,  for  the  community,  have  the  respect  of  man- 
kind. An  officer  is  much  more  respected  than  any  other 
man  who  has  as  little  money.  In  a  commercial  country, 
money  will  always  purchase  respect.  But  you  find,  an 
officer,  who  has,  properly  speaking,  no  money,  is  every 
where  well  received  and  treated  with  attention.  The 
character  of  a  soldier  always  stands  him  in  stead."  Bos- 
well.  "  Yet,  Sir,  I  think  that  common  soldiers  are 
worse  thought  of  than  other  men  in  the  same  rank  of 
life;  such  as  labourers."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  a  com- 
mon soldier  is  usually  a  very  gross  man,  and  any  qual- 
ity which  procures  respect  may  be  overwhelmed  by 
grossness.  A  man  of  learning  may  be  so  vicious  or  so 
ridiculous  that  you  cannot  respect  him.  A  common 
soldier  too,  generally  eats  more  than  he  can  pay  for. 
But  when  a  common  soldier  is  civil  in  his  quarters,  his 
red  coat  procures  him  a  degree  of  respect."  The  pe- 
culiar respect  paid  to  the  military  character  in  France 
was  mentioned.  Boswell.  "  I  should  think  that  where 
military  men  are  so  numerous,  they  would  be  less  val- 
ued as  not  being  rare."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  wherev- 
er a  particular  character  or  profession  is  high  in  the 
estimation  of  a  people,  those  who  are  of  it  will  be  val- 
ued above  other  men.  We  value  an  Englishman  high 
in  this  country,  and  yet  Englishmen  are  not  rare  in  it." 
Mr.  Murray  praised  the  ancient  philosophers  for  the 
candour  and  good  humour  with  which  those  of  differ- 
ent sects  disputed  with  each  other.  Johnson.  "  Sir, 
they  disputed  with  good  humour,  because  they  were 
not  in  earnest  as  to  religion.  Had  the  ancients  been 
serious  in  their  belief,  we  should  not  have  had  their 
Gods  exhibited  in  the  manner  we  find  them  represent- 


286  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  ed  ill  the  Poets.  The  people  would  not  have  suftered 
^J^  it.  They  disputed  with  good  humour  upon  the  fanciful 
67.  '  theories,  because  they  were  not  interested  in  the  truth 
of  them :  when  a  man  has  nothing  to  lose,  he  may  be 
in  good  humour  with  his  opponent.  Accordingly  you 
see  in  Lucian,  the  Epicurean,  who  argues  only  nega- 
tively, keeps  his  temper ;  the  Stoick,  who  has  some- 
thing positive  to  preserve,  grows  angry.  Being  angry 
with  one  who  controverts  an  opinion  which  you  value, 
is  a  necessary  consequence  of  the  uneasiness  which  you 
feel.  Every  man  who  attacks  my  belief,  diminishes 
'  in  some  degree  my  confidence  in  it,  and  therefore  makes 
me  uneasy  ;  and  I  am  angry  with  him  who  makes  me 
uneasy.  Those  only  who  believed  in  revelation  have 
been  angry  at  having  their  faith  called  in  question  ;  be- 
cause they  only  had  something  upon  which  they  could 
rest  as  matter  of  fact."  Murray.  "  It  seems  to  me 
that  we  are  not  angry  at  a  man  for  controverting  an 
opinion  which  we  believe  and  value  ;  we  rather  pity 
him."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir ;  to  be  sure  when  you  wish 
a  man  to  have  that  belief  which  you  think  is  of  infinite 
advantage,  you  wish  well  to  him  ;  but  your  primaiy 
consideration  is  your  own  quiet.  If  a  madman  were 
to  come  into  this  room  with  a  stick  in  his  hand,  no  doubt 
we  should  pity  the  state  of  his  mind  ;  but  our  primary 
consideration  would  be  to  take  care  of  ourselves.  We 
should  knock  him  down  first,  and  pity  him  afterwards. 
No,  Sir;  every  man  will  dispute  with  great  good  hu- 
mour upon  a  subject  in  which  he  is  not  interested. 
I  will  dispute  very  calmly  upon  the  probability  of  an- 
other man's  son  being  hanged  ;  but  if  a  man  zealously 
enforces  the  probability  that  my  own  son  will  be  hang- 
ed, I  shall  certainly  not  be  in  a  very  good  humour  with 
him."  I  added  this  illustration,  "  If  a  man  endeavours 
to  convince  me  that  my  wife,  whom  I  love  very  much, 
and  in  whom  I  place  great  confidence,  is  a  disagreeable 
woman,  and  is  even  unfaithful  to  me,  1  shall  be  very 
angry,  for  he  is  putting  me  in  fear  of  being  unhappy." 
Murray.  "  But,  Sir,  truth  will  always  bear  an  exam- 
ination." Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir,  but  it  is;  painful  to  be 
forced  to  defend  it.     Consider,  Sir,  how  should  you 


DR.    JOHNSON.  287 

like,  though  conscious  of  your  innocence,  to  be  tried  177^. 
before  a  jury  for  a  capital  crime,  once  a  week  I"  UtaT 

We  talked  of  education  at  great  schools  ;  the  advan-  ()7. 
tages  and  disadvantages  of  which  Johnson  displayed  in 
a  luminous  manner ;  but  his  arguments  preponderate  so 
much  in  favour  of  the  benefit  which  a  boy  of  good  parts 
might  receive  at  one  of  them,  that  1  have  reason  to  be- 
lieve Mr.  Murray  was  very  much  influenced  by  what 
he  had  heard  to-day,  in  his  determination  to  send  his 
own  son  to  Westminster  school. — 1  have  acted  in  the 
same  manner  with  regard  to  my  own  two  sons  ;  having 
placed  the  eldest  at  Eton,  and  the  second  at  Westmin- 
ster. I  cannot  say  which  is  best.  But  in  justice  to  both 
those  noble  seminaries,  I  with  high  satisfaction  declare, 
that  my  boys  have  derived  from  them  a  great  deal  of 
good,  and  no  evil :  and  I  trust  they  will,  like  Horace,  be 
grateful  to  their  father  for  giving  them  so  valuable  an 
education. 

I  introduced  the  topick,  which  is  often  ignoiantly 
urged,  that  the  Universities  of  England  are  too  rich  ;* 
so  that  learning  does  not  flourish  in  them  as  it  would 
do,  if  those  who  teach  had  smaller  salaries,  and  de- 
pended on  their  assiduity  for  a  great  part  of  their  in- 
come. Johnson.  "  Sir,  the  very  reverse  of  this  is  the 
truth  ;  the  English  Universities  are  not  rich  enough.  ' 
Our  fellowships  are  only  sufficient  to  support  a  man 
during  his  studies  to  fit  him  for  the  world,  and  accord- 
ingly in  general  they  are  held  no  longer  than  till  an 
opportunity  offers  of  getting  away.  Now  and  then, 
perhaps,  there  is  a  fellow  who  grows  old  in  his  college  ; 
but  this  is  against  his  will,  unless  he  be  a  man  very  indo- 
lent indeed.  A  hundred  a  year  is  reckoned  a  good 
fellowship,  and  that  is  no  more  than  is  necessary  to 
keep  a  man  decently  as  a  scholar.  We  do  not  allow 
our  fellows  to  marry,  because  we  consider  academical 
institutions  as  preparatory  to  a  settlement  in  the  world. 
It  is  only  by  being  employed  as  a  tutor,  that  a  fellow 
can  obtain   any  thing  more  than  a  livelihood.     To  be 

"  Dr.  Adam  Smith,  who  was  for  some  time  a  professor  in  the  University  of  Glas- 
gow, has  uttered,  in  his  "  Wealth  of  Nations,"  some  reflections  upon  this  subject 
which  are  certainly  not  well  founded,  and  seem  to  be  invidiou*. 


28S  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  sure  a  man,  who  has  enough  without  teaching,  will 
^^  probably  not  teach  ;  for  we  would  all  be  idle  if  we 
67.  could.  In  the  same  manner,  a  man  who  is  to  get 
nothing  by  teaching,  will  not  exert  himself.  Greshani- 
College  was  intended  as  a  place  of  instruction  for  Lon- 
don ;  able  professors  were  to  read  lectures  gratis,  they 
contrived  to  have  no  scholars  ;  whereas,  if  they  had 
been  allowed  to  receive  but  sixpence  a  lecture  from 
each  scholar,  they  would  have  been  emulous  to  have 
had  many  scholars.  Every  body  will  agree  that  it 
should  be  the  interest  of  those  who  teach  to  have 
scholars  ;  and  this  is  the  case  in  our  Universities. 
That  they  are  too  rich  is  certainly  not  true  ;  for  they 
have  nothing  good  enough  to  keep  a  man  of  eminent 
learning  with  them  for  his  life.  In  the  foreign  Uni- 
versities a  professorship  is  a  high  thing.  It  is  as  much 
almost  as  a  man  can  make  by  his  learning  ;  and  there- 
fore we  find  the  most  learned  men  abroad  are  in  the 
Universities.  It  is  not  so  with  us.  Our  Universities 
are  impoverished  of  learning,  by  the  penury  of  their 
provisions,  I  wish  there  were  many  places  of  a  thou- 
sand a  year  at  Oxford,  to  keep  first-rate  men  of  learn- 
ing from  quitting  the  University.''  Undoubtedly  if 
this  were  the  case,  Literature  would  have  a  still  greater 
dignity  and  splendour  at  Oxford,  and  there  would  be 
grander  living  sources  of  instruction. 

1  mentioned  Mr.  Maclaurin's  uneasiness  on  account 
of  a  desrree  of  ridicule  carelessly  thrown  on  his  deceas- 
ed  father,  in  Goldsmith's  "  History  of  Animated  Na- 
ture," in  which  that  celebrated  mathematician  is  rep- 
resented as  being  subject  to  fits  of  yawning  so  violent 
as  to  render  him  incapable  of  proceeding  in  his  lecture  ; 
a  story  altogether  unfounded,  but  for  the  publication  of 
which  the  law  would  give  no  reparation.^  This  led 
us  to  agitate  the  question,  whether  legal  redress  could 
be  obtained,  even  when  a  man's  deceased  relation  was 
calumniated  in  a  publication.     Mr.  Murray  maintained 

'  Dr.  Goldsmith  was  dead  before  Mr.  Maclaurin  discovered  the  ludicrous  errour. 
But  Mr.  Nourse,  the  bool  seller,  who  was  the  proprietor  of  the  work,  upon  being 
appHed  to  by  Sir  John  Pnngle,  agreed  very  handsomely  to  have  the  leaf  on  whicfc 
it  was  contained,  cancelled,  and  re-printed  without  it,  at  his  own  expencp. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  98f) 

there  should  be  reparation,  unless  the  authour  could  i77<>. 
justify  himself  by  proving  the  fact.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  ^tj^ 
it  is  of  so  much  more  consequence  that  truth  should  be  G7. 
told,  than  that  individuals  should  not  be  made  uneasy, 
that  it  is  much  better  that  the  law  does  not  restrain 
writing  freely  concerning  the  characters  of  the  dead. 
Damaiies  will  be  oriven  to  a  man  who  is  calumniated  in 
his  life  time,  because  he  may  be  hurt  in  his  worldly  in- 
terest, or  at  least  hurt  in  his  mind  :  but  the  law  does 
not  regard  that  uneasiness  which  a  man  feels  on  having 
his  ancestor  calumniated.  That  is  too  nice.  Let  him 
deny  what  is  said,  and  let  the  matter  have  a  fair  chance 
by  discussion.  But  if  a  man  could  say  nothing  against 
a  character  but  what  he  can  prove,  history  could  not  be 
written  ;  for  a  great  deal  is  known  of  men  of  which 
proof  cannot  be  brought.  A  minister  may  be  noto- 
riously known  to  take  bribes,  and  yet  you  may  not  be 
able  to  prove  it."  Mr.  Murray  suggested,  that  the  au- 
thour should  be  obliged  to  show  some  sort  of  evidence, 
though  he  would  not  require  a  strict  legal  proof :  but 
Johnson  firmly  and  resolutely  opposed  any  restraint 
whatever,  as  adverse  to  a  free  investigation  of  the  char- 
acters of  mankind.** 

'■  XA'hat  Dr.  Johnson  has  here  said,  is  undoubtedly  good  sense  :  yet  I  am  afraid 
that  law,  though  defined  by  Lord  Coke  "  the  perfection  of  reason,"  is  not  ahogether 
•with  Ij'im  ;  for  it  is  held  in  the  books,  that  an  attack  on  the  reputation  even  of  a 
dead  man,  may  be  punished  as  a  libel,  because  tending  to  a  breach  of  the  peace. 
There  is,  however,  I  believe,  no  modern  decided  case  to  that  effect.  In  the  Kijig's 
Bench,  Trinity  Term,  1790,  the  question  occurred  on  occasion  of  an  indictment, 
The  King  V.  Topham,  who,  as  a  proprietor  of  a  news-paper  entitled  "  The  World," 
was  found  guilty  of  a  libel  against  Earl  Cowpcr,  deceased,  because  certain  injurious 
charges  against  his  Lordship  were  published  in  that  paper.  An  arrest  of  judge- 
ment having  been  moved  for,  the  case  was  afterwards  solemnly  argued.  My 
friend  Mr.  Const,  whom  I  delight  in  having  an  opportunity  to  praise,  not  only  for 
his  abilities  but  his  manners ;  a  gentleman  whose  ancient  German  blood  has  been 
mellowed  in  England,  and  who  may  be  truly  said  to  unite  the  Baron  and  the  Bar^ 
rijter,  was  one  of  the  Counsel  for  Mr.  Topham.  He  displayed  much  learning  and 
ingenuity  upon  the  general  question  ;  which,  however  was  not  decided,  as  the 
Court  granted  an  arrest  chiefly  on  the  informality  of  the  indictment.  No  man  lia» 
a  higher  reverence  for  the  law  of  England  than  I  have  ;  but,  with  all  deference  I 
cannot  help  thinking,  that  prosecution  by  indictment,  if  a  defendant  is  never  to  be 
allowed  to  justify,  must  often  be  very  oppressive,  xmless  Juries,  whom  I  am  more 
and  more  confirmed  in  holding  to  be  judges  of  law  as  well  as  of  fact,  resolutely  in- 
terpose. Of  late  .in  act  of  Parliament  has  passed  declaratory  of  their  full  right 
to  one  as  well  ai  the  other,  in  matter  of  libel  ;  and  the  bill  having  been  brought  in 
by  a  popular  gentleman,  many  of  his  party  have  in  most  extravagant  terms  de- 
claimed on  the  wonderful  acquisition  to  the  liberty  of  the  press.  For  my  own 
part  I  ever  was  clearly  of  opinion  that  this  rijht  was  inhereD'  in  the  very  constitu* 

vnj..  ir,  37 


290  THE    LIFE    OP 

i77fi.  On  Thursday,  April  4,  having  called  on  Dr.  John- 
^^  son,  I  said,  it  was  a  pity  that  truth  was  not  so  firm  as 
67.  to  bid  defiance  to  all  attacks,  so  that  it  might  be  shot 
at  as  much  as  people  chose  to  attempt,  and  yet  remain 
unhurt.  Johnson.  "  Then,  Sir,  it  would  not  be  shot 
at.  Nobody  attempts  to  dispute  that  two  and  two 
make  four  :  but  with  contests  concerning  moral  truth, 
human  passions  are  generally  mixed,  and  therefore  it 
must  ever  be  liable  to  assault  and  misrepresentation." 
On  Friday,  April  5,  being  Good  Friday,  after  having 
attended  the  morning  service  at  St.  Clement's  church, 
I  walked  home  with  Johnson.  We  talked  of  the  Ro- 
man Catholick  religion.  Johnson.  "  In  the  barbarous 
ages,  Sir,  priests  and  people  were  equally  deceived  ;  but 
afterwards  there  were  gross  corruptions  introduced  by 
the  clergy,  such  as  indulgences  to  priests  to  have  con- 
cubines, and  the  worship  of  images,  not,  indeed,  incul- 
cated, but  knowingly  permitted."  He  strongly  censur- 
ed the  licensed  stews  at  Rome.  Boswell.  *'  So  then, 
Sir,  you  would  allow  of  no  irregular  intercourse  what- 
ever between  the  sexes  1"  Johnson.  "  Vo  be  sure  I 
would  not.  Sir.  1  would  punish  it  much  more  than  it 
is  done,  and  so  restrain  it.  In  all  countries  there  has 
been  fornication,  as  in  all  countries  there  has  been  theft ; 
but  there  may  be  more  or  less  of  the  one,  as  well  as  of 
the  other,  in  proportion  to  the  force  of  law.  All 
men  will  naturally  commit  fornication,  as  all  men  will 
naturally  steal.     And,  Sir,  it  is  very  absurd  to  argue, 

tion  of  a  Jury,  and  indeed  in  sense  and  reason  inseparable  from  their  important 
function.  To  establish  it,  therefore,  by  statute,  is,  I  think,  narrowing  its  founda- 
tion, which  is  the  broad  and  deep  basis  of  Common  Law.  Would  it  not  rather 
weaken  the  right  of  primo-geniture,  or  any  other  old  and  universally-acknowl- 
edged right,  should  the  legislature  pass  an  act  in  favour  of  it.  hi  my  "■  Letter  to 
the  People  of  Scotland,  against  diminisliing  the  number  of  the  Lords  of  Session," 
published  in  1785,  there  is  the  following  passage,  which,  as  a  concise,  and  I  hope, 
a  fair  and  rational  state  of  the  matter,  1  presume  to  quote  :  "  The  Juries  of  Eng- 
land are  Judges  of  /azv  as  well  as  of  f<ut  in  many  civil,  and  in  all  criminal  trials. 
That  my  principles  of  resistance  may  not  be  misapprehended  any  more  than  my 
principles  of  suOmission,  I  protest  that  I  should  be  tlie  last  man  in  the  world  to  en- 
courage Juries  to  conti;adict  rashly,  wantonly,  or  perversely,  the  opinion  of  the 
Judges.  On  the  contraiy,  1  would  liave  them  listen  respectfully  to  the  advice 
they  receive  from  the  Bench,  by  which  they  may  often  be  well  directed  in  form- 
ing i/jeir  oivn  opinion  ;  which, '  and  not  another's,'  is  the  opinion  they  are  to  return 
vjion  their  oaths.  But  where,  after  due  atteiuion  to  all  that  the  Judge  has  said,  tliey 
are  decidedly  of  a  different  opinion  fr(^m  him,  they  have  not  only  n  fo-zvcr  and  a 
ri^bl,  but  they  are  iuu/ni  in  toiucicnu  to  bring  in  a  verdict  accordingly." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  291 

as  has  been   often  done,  that  prostitutes  are  necessary  i??^). 
to  prevent  the  violent  etlects  ot"  appetite  from  violatiii'^  ^^'"^ 
the  decent  order  of  life  ;  nay,  should  be  permitted,  in    (,7. 
order  to  preserve  the  chastity  of  our  wives  and  daugh- 
ters.    Depend   upon  it.  Sir,  severe  laws,  steadily  en- 
forced,   would    be  sufficient   against  those  evils,  and 
would  promote  marriage." 

I  stated  to  him  this  case  : — "  Suppose  a  man  has  a 
daughter,  who  he  knows  has  been  seduced,  but  her 
misfortune  is  concealed  from  the  world  !  should  he 
keep  her  in  his  house  !  Would  he  not,  by  doing  so,  be 
accessary  to  imposition  I  And,  perhaps,  a  worthy,  un- 
suspecting man  might  come  and  marry  this  woman, 
unless  the  father  inform  him  of  the  truth."  Johnson, 
"  Sir,  he  is  accessary  to  no  imposition.  His  daughter 
is  in  his  house  ;  and  if  a  man  courts  her,  he  takes  his 
chance.  If  a  friend,  or,  indeed,  if  any  man  asks  his 
opinion  whether  he  should  marry  her,  he  ought  to 
advise  him  against  it,  without  telling  why,  because  his 
real  opinion  is  then  required.  Or,  if  he  has  other 
daughters  who  know  of  her  frailty,  he  ought  not  to 
keep  her  in  his  house.  You  are  to  consider  the  state 
of  life  is  this  ;  we  are  to  judge  of  one  another's  charac- 
ters as  well  as  we  can  ;  and  a  man  is  not  bound  in 
honesty  or  honour,  to  tell  us  the  faults  of  his  daughter 
or  of  himself.  A  man  who  has  debauched  his  friend's 
daughter  is  not  obliged  to  say  to  every  body — "  Take 
care  of  me  ;  don't  let  me  into  your  house  without 
suspicion.  1  once  debauched  a  friend's  daughter.  1 
may  debauch  yours." 

Mr.  Thrale  called  upon  him,  and  appeared  to  bear 
the  loss  of  his  son  with  a  manly  composure.  There 
was  no  affectation  about  him  ;  and  he  talked,  as  usual, 
upon  indifferent  subjects.  He  seemed  to  me  to  hesi- 
tate as  to  the  intended  Italian  tour,  on  which,  I  flat- 
tered myself,  he  and  Mrs.  Thrale  and  Dr.  Johnson  were 
soon  to  set  out ;  and,  therefore,  I  pressed  it  as  much  as 
I  could.  I  mentioned  that  Mr.  Beauclerk  had  said, 
that  Baretti,  whom  they  were  to  carry  with  them, 
would  keep  them  so  long  in  the  little  towns  of  his  own 
district,  that  they  would  not  have  time  to  see  Rome. 


) 


292  THE    LIFE   OF 

1776.  I  mentioned  this  to  put  them  on  their  guard.     Johx- 

Ztat  ^^^'  "  '^"'  ^^^  ^^  ""^^  thank  Mr.  Beauclerk  for  sup- 
67.  posing  that  we  are  to  be  directed  by  Baretti.  No,  Sir ; 
Mr.  Thrale  is  to  go  by  my  advice,  to  Mr.  Jackson, t 
(the  all-knowing)  and  get  from  him  a  plan  for  seeing 
the  most  that  can  be  seen  in  the  time  that  we  have  to 
travel.  We  must,  to  be  sure,  see  Rome,  Naples,  Flor- 
ence, and  Venice,  and  as  much  more  as  we  can." 
(Speaking  with  a  tone  of  animation.) 

When  1  expressed  an  earnest  wish  for  his  remarks 
on  Italy,  he  said,  *'  I  do  not  see  that  1  could  make  a 
book  upon  Italy  ;  3'et  I  should  be  glad  to  get  two 
hundred  pounds,  or  five  hundred  pounds,  by  such  a 
work."  This  shewed  both  that  a  journal  of  his  Tour 
upon  the  Continent  was  not  wholly  out  of  his  con- 
templation, and  that  he  uniformly  adhered  to  that 
strange  opinion  which  his  indolent  disposition  made 
him  utter  :  "  No  man  but  a  blockhead  ever  wrote, 
except  for  money."  Numerous  instances  to  refute 
this  will  occur  to  all  who  are  versed  in  the  history  of 
literature. 

He  gave  us  one  of  the  many  sketches  of  character 
which  were  treasured  in  his  mind,  and  which  he  was 
wont  to  produce  quite  unexpectedly  in  a  very  enter- 
taining manner.  "  I  lately,  (said  he,)  received  a  letter 
from  the  East-Indies,  from  a  gentleman  whom  I  for- 
merly knew  very  well  ;  he  had  returned  from  that 
countr}^  with  a  handsome  fortune,  as  it  was  reckoned, 
before  means  were  found  to  acquire  those  immense 
sums  which  have  been  brought  from  thence  of  late  ; 
he  was  a  scholar,  and  an  agreeable  man,  and  lived  very 
prettily  in  London,  till  his  wife  died.  After  her  death, 
he  took  to  dissipation  and  gaming,  and  lost  all  he  had. 
One  evening  he  lost  a  thousand  pounds  to  a  gentleman 
whose  name  1  am  sorry  I  have  forgotten.  Next  morn- 
ing he  sent  the  gentleman  five  hundred  pounds,  with 
an  apology  that  it  was  all  he  had  in  the  world.  The 
gentleman  sent  the  money  back  to  him,  declaring  he 

'  A  gentleman,  who  from  hi«  extraordinary  stores  of  knowledge,  has  been  siiled 
omniscient.  Joluison,  I  think  very  properlv,  altered  it  to  all-knowinjr.  :■!•  it  is  a  •v^)"' 
ium  folennt,  appropriated  to  the  Supreme  Being. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  393 

would  not  accept  of  it  ;  and  adding,  that  if  Mr. '-776. 

had  occasion  for  five  hundred  pounds  more,  he  would  ^[^^ 
lend  it  to  him.  He  resolved  to  go  out  again  to  the  67. 
East  Indies,  and  make  his  fortune  anew.  He  got  a 
considerable  appointment,  and  1  had  some  intention  of 
accompanying  him.  Had  1  thought  then  as  I  do  now, 
I  should  have  gone  :  but  at  that  time,  I  had  objec- 
tions to  quitting  hlngiand." 

It  was  a  very  remarkable  circumstance  about  John- 
son, whom  shallow  observers  have  supposed  to  have 
been  ignorant  of  the  world,  that  very  few  men  had 
seen  greater  variety  of  characters  ;  and  none  could  ob- 
serve them  better,  as  was  evident  from  the  strong,  yet 
nice  portraits  which  he  often  drew.  1  have  frequently 
thought  that  if  he  had  made  out  what  the  French  call 
line  catalogue  raisonnee  of  all  the  people  who  had  passed 
under  his  observation,  it  would  have  afforded  a  verv 
rich  fund  of  instruction  and  entertainment.  The  sud- 
denness with  which  his  accounts  of  some  of  them 
started  out  in  conversation,  was  not  less  pleasing  than 
surprising.  I  remember  he  once  observed  to  me,  "  It 
is  wonderful.  Sir,  what  is  to  be  found  in  London.  The 
most  literary  conversation  that  I  ever  enjoyed,  was  at 
the  table  of  Jack  Ellis,  a  money-scrivener  behind  the 
Eoyal  Exchange,  with  whom  I  at  one  period  used  to 
dine  generally  once  a  week."^ 

Volumes  would  be  required  to  contain  a  list  of  his 
numerous  and  various  acquaintance,  none  of  whom  he 
ever  forgot ;  and  could  describe  and  discriminate  them 

*  This  Mr.  EUis  was,  I  believe,  the  last  of  that  profession  called  Scrivenerj,  which 
is  one  of  the  London  companies,  but  of  wliich  the  business  is  no  longer  carried  on 
separately,  but  is  transacted  by  attornies  and  others.  He  was  a  man  of  literature 
and  talents.  He  was  the  authour  of  a  Hudibrastick  version  of  Maphseus's  Canto, 
in  addition  to  the  jEneid  ;  of  some  poems  in  Dodsley's  collections  ;  and  various 
•ther  small  pieces  ;  but  being  a  very  modest  man,  never  put  his  name  to  any  thing. 
He  shewed  me  a  translation  which  he  had  made  of  Ovid's  Epistles,  very  prettily 
done.  There  is  a  good  engraved  portrait  of  him  by  Pether,  from  a  picture  by  Fry, 
which  hangs  in  the  hall  of  the  Scriveners'  company.  I  visited  him  October  4, 
1790,  io  his  ninety-third  year,  and  found  his  judgement  distinct  and  clear,  and  hie 
memory,  though  faded  so  as  to  fail  him  occasionally,  yet,  as  he  assured  me,  and  I 
indeed  perceived,  able  to  serve  him  very  well,  after  a  httle  recollection.  It  was 
agreeable  to  observe,  that  he  was  free  from  the  discontent  and  fretfulness  whicli  too 
often  molest  old  age.  He  in  the  summer  of  that  year  walked  to  Rotherhithe,  where 
he  dined,  and  walked  home  in  the  evening.  He  died  on  the  ^\tt  of  December. 
1791. 


•H^. 


294  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  all  with  precision  and  vivacity.  He  associated  with 
2J^  persons  the  most  widely  different  in  manners,  abilities, 
67.  rank,  and  accomplishments.  He  was  at  once  the  com- 
panion of  the  brilliant  Colonel  Forrester  of  the  guards, 
who  wrote  "  The  Polite  Philosopher,"  and  of  the  auk- 
ward  and  uncouth  Robert  Levet ;  of  Lord  Thurlow, 
and  Mr.  Sastres,  the  Italian  master ;  and  has  dined  one 
day  with  the  beautiful,  gay,  and  fascinating  Lady  Cra- 
ven, ^  and  the  next  with  good  Mrs.  Gardiner,  the  tal- 
low-chandler, on  Snow-hill. 

On  my  expressing  my  wonder  at  his  discovering  so 
much  of  the  knowledge  peculiar-to  different  professions, 
he  told  me,  "  I  learnt  what  1  know  of  law  chiefly  from 
,  Mr.  Ballow,'  a  very  able  man.  1  learnt  some  too  from 
Chambers  ;  but  was  not  so  teachable  then.  One  is  not 
willing  to  be  taught  by  a  young  man."  When  1  ex- 
pressed a  wish  to  know  more  about  Mr.  Ballovv,  John- 
son said,  "  Sir,  I  have  seen  him  but  once  these  twenty 
years.  The  tide  of  life  has  driven  us  different  ways." 
I  was  sorry  at  the  time  to  hear  this  ;  but  whoever  quits 
the  creeks  of  private  connections,  and  fairly  gets  into 
the  great  ocean  of  London,  will,  by  imperceptible  de- 
grees, unavoidably  experience  such  cessations  of  ac- 
quaintance. 

"  My  knowledge  of  physick,  (he  added,)  I  learnt 
from  Dr.  James,  whom  I  helped  in  writing  the  propos- 
als for  his  Dictionary,  and  also  a  little  in  the  Dictionary 
itself.^  I  also  learnt  from  Dr.  Lawrence,  but  was  then 
grown  more  stubborn." 

A  curious  incident  happened  to-day,  while  Mr.  Thrale 
and  I  sat  with  him.     Francis  announced  that  a  large 

'  Lord  Macartney,  who  with  hi*  other  distinguished  qualities,  is  remarkable  also 
for  an  elegant  pleasantry,  told  me  that  he  met  Johnson  at  I.ady  Craven's,  and 
that  he  seemed  jealous  of  any  interference  :  "  So,  (said  his  I>ordsliip,  smiling,)  / 
kept  back" 

'  There  is  an  account  of  him  in  Sir  John  Hawkins's  Life  of  Johnson,  p.  244. 

[Mr.  Thomas  Ballow  was  authour  of  an  excellent  Treatise  of  Eqi'ity,  printed 
anonymously  in  1742,  and  lately  republished  with  very  valuable  additions,  by  John 
Fonblanque,  Esq. 

Mr.  I3allow  died  suddenly  in  London,  July  26,  1782,  aged  seventy-five,  and  is 
mentioned  in  the  Gentleman's  Magazine  for  that  year  as  "  a  great  Greek  Scholar, 
and  famous  for  his  knowledge  of  the  old  philosophy."     M.] 

^  I  have  in  vain  endeavoured  to  find  out  what  parts  Johnson  wrote  for  Dr.  James. 
Perhaps  medical  men  may. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  2yi 

packet  was  broiip^ht  to  him  from  the  post-office,  said  to  i776. 
have  come  from  Lisbon,  and  it  was  charged  seven  pounds  ^^^ 
ten  sliillimrs.     lie  would  not  receive  it,  supposing  it  to   g?. 
be  some  trick,  nor  did  he  even  look  at  it.     But  upon 
enquiry  afterwards  he  found  that  it  was  a  real  packet 
for  liim,   from  that  very  friend  in  the  East-Indies  of 
whom  he  had  been  speaking ;  and  the  ship  which  car- 
ried it  having  come  to  Portugal,  this  packet,  with  others, 
had  been  put  into  the  post-office  at  Lisbon. 

1  mentioned  a  new  gaming-club,  of  which  Mr.  Beau- 
clerk  had  given  me  an  account,  where  the  members 
played  to  a  desperate  extent.  Johnson.  "  Depend 
upon  it,  Sir,  this  is  mere  talk.  Who  is  ruined  by  gam- 
ing ?  You  will  not  find  six  instances  in  an  age.  There 
is  a  strange  rout  made  about  deep  play  :  whereas  you 
have  many  more  people  ruined  by  adventurous  trade, 
and  yet  we  do  not  hear  such  an  outcry  against  it." 
Thrale.  "  There  may  be  few  people  absolutely  ruined 
by  deep  play  ;  but  very  many  are  much  hurt  in  their 
circumstances  by  it."  Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir,  and  so  are 
very  many  by  other  kinds  of  expence."  1  had  heard 
him  talk  once  before  in  the  same  manner;  and  at  Ox- 
ford he  said,  "  he  wished  he  had  learned  to  play  at 
cards."  The  truth,  however,  is,  that  he  loved  to  dis- 
play his  ingenuity  in  argument ;  and  therefore  would 
sometimes  in  conversation  maintain  opinions  which  he 
was  sensible  were  wrong,  but  in  supporting  which,  his 
reasoning  and  wit  would  be  most  conspicuous.  He 
would  begin  thus  :  "  Why,  Sir,  as  to  the  good  or  evil 
of  card-playing — "  "  Now,  (said  Garrick,)  he  is  think- 
ing which  side  he  shall  take."  He  appeared  to  have  a 
pleasure  in  contradiction,  especially  when  any  opinion 
whatever  was  delivered  with  an  air  of  confidence  ;  so 
that  there  was  hardly  any  topick,  if  not  one  of  the  great 
truths  of  Religion  and  Morality,  that  he  might  not  have 
been  incited  to  argue,  either  for  or  against.  Lord  Eli- 
bank^  had  the  highest  admiration  of  his  powers.  He 
once  observed  to  me,  "  Whatever  opinion  Johnson 
maintains,  i  will  not  say  that  he  convinces  me  ;  but  he 

^  Patrick,  LorJ  Elibaak,  who  died  iu  1778. 


296  THE    LIFE    OF 

i77f>.  never  fails  to  shew  me,  that  he  has  good  reasons  for  it/* 
^^^  i  have  heard  Johnson  pay  his  Lordship  this  high  com- 
67,  '  phment  : 

"  I  never  was  in  Lord  Ehbank's  cotnpany  without 
learning  something." 

We  sat  together  till  it  was  too  late  for  the  afternoon 
service.  Thrale  said,  he  had  come  with  intention  to  go 
to  church  with  us.  We  went  at  seven  to  evening  pray- 
ers at  St.  Clement's  church,  after  having  drank  coffee  ; 
an  indulgence,  which  1  understood  Johnson  yielded  to 
on  this  occasion,  in  compliment  to  Thrale. 

On  Sunday,  April  7,  Easter-day,  after  having  been 
at  St.  Paul's  cathedral,  I  came  to  Dr.  Johnson,  according 
to  my  usual  custom.  It  seemed  to  me,  that  there  was 
always  something  peculiarly  mild  and  placid  in  his  man- 
ner upon  this  holy  festival,  the  commemoration  of  the 
most  joyful  event  in  the  history  of  our  world,  the  resur- 
rection of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  who,  having  tri- 
umphed over  death  and  the  grave,  proclaimed  immor- 
tality to  mankind. 

I  repeated  to  him  an  argument  of  a  lady  of  my  ac- 
quaintance, who  maintained,  that  her  husband's  having 
been  guilty  of  numberless  infidelities,  released  her  from 
conjugal  obligations,  because  they  were  reciprocal. 
Johnson.  "  This  is  miserable  stuff.  Sir.  To  the  con- 
tract of  marriage,  besides  the  man  and  wife,  there  is  a 
third  party — Society  ;  and  if  it  be  considered  as  a  vow 
— God  :  and,  therefore,  it  cannot  be  dissolved  by  their 
consent  alone.  Laws  are  not  made  for  particular  cases, 
but  for  men  in  general.  A  woman  may  be  unhappy 
with  her  husband  ;  but  she  cannot  be  freed  from  him 
without  the  approbation  of  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
power.  A  man  may  be  unhappy,  because  he  is  not  so 
rich  as  another ;  but  he  is  not  to  seize  upon  another's 
property  with  his  own  hand."  Boswell.  "  But,  Sir, 
this  lady  does  not  want  that  the  contract  should  be  dis- 
solved ;  she  only  argues  that  she  may  indulge  herself  in 
I  gallantries   with  equal  freedom  as  her  husband  does, 

provided  she  takes  care  not  to  introduce  a  spurious  is- 
sue into  his  family.     You  know,  Sir,  what  Macrobius 


1 


DR.    JOHNSON.  997 

has  tol(i  of  Julia."*     Johnson.  "  This  hidy  of  yours,  i77<). 
Sir,   I  think,  is  very  fit  for  a  brothel."  Ifi^. 

ISlr.  Maeheaii,  autliour  of  the  "  Dictionary  of  An-  07.* 
cient  Cie()L,Taphy,"  cauie  in.  He  mentioned  that  he  had 
been  forty  years  absent  from  Scotland.  "  Ah,  Bosvvell  ! 
(said  .loiirison,  smiling,)  what  would  you  give  to  be 
forty  years  from  Scotland  !"  1  said,  "  1  should  not  like 
to  be  so  long  absent  from  the  seat  of  my  ancestors." 
This  gentleman,  Mrs.  Williams,  and  Mr.  Levet,  dined 
with  us. 

Dr.  Johnson  made  a  remark,  which  both  Mr.  Mac- 
bean  and  1  thought  new.  It  was  this:  that  "  the  law 
against  usury  is  for  the  protection  of  creditors  as  well 
as  debtors ;  for  if  there  were  no  such  check,  people 
would  be  apt,  from  the  temptation  of  great  interest,  to 
lend  to  desperate  persons,  by  whom  they  would  lose 
their  money.  Accordingly  there  are  instances  of  ladies 
being  ruined,  by  having  injudiciously  sunk  their  for- 
tunes for  high  annuities,  which,  after  a  few  years,  ceas- 
ed to  be  paid,  in  consequence  of  the  ruined  circum- 
stances of  the  borrower." 

Mrs.  Williams  was  very  peevish  :  and  I  wondered  at 
Johnson's  patience  with  her  now,  as  I  had  often  done 
on  similar  occasions.  The  truth  is,  that  his  humane 
consideration  of  the  forlorn  and  indigent  state  in  which 
this  lady  was  left  by  her  father,  induced  him  to  treat 
her  with  the  utmost  tenderness,  and  even  to  be  desirous 
of  procuring  her  amusement,  so  as  sometimes  to  incom- 
mode many  of  his  friends,  by  carrying  her  with  him  to 
their  houses,  where,  from  her  manner  of  eating,  in  con- 
sequence of  her  blindness,  she  could  not  but  offend 
the  delicacy  of  persons  of  nice  sensations. 

After  coffee,  we  went  to  afternoon  service  in  St.  Cle- 
ment's church.  Observing  some  beggars  in  the  street 
as  we  walked  along,  1  said  to  him  1  supposed  there  was 
no  civilized  country  in  the  world,  where  the  misery  of 
want  in  the  lowest  classes  of  the  people  was  prevented. 
Johnson.  "  I  believe,  Sir,  there  is  not ;  but  it  is  better 
that  some  should   be  unhappy,   than  that  none  should 

••  "  Nunquarn  enim  nisi  navi  plena  tollo  vtclciem."     Lib.  iu  C.  n. 

VOL.  If.  38 


298  '  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  be  happy,  which  would  be  the  case  in  a  general  state 

S'^  of  equality/' 

67.  When  the  service  was  ended,  I  went  home  with  him, 
and  we  sat  quietly  by  ourselves.  He  recommended 
Dr.  Cheyne's  books.  I  said,  1  thought  Cheyne  had 
been  reckoned  whimsical. — "  So  he  was,  (said  he,)  in 
some  things  ;  but  there  is  no  end  of  objections.  There 
are  few  books  to  which  some  objection  or  other  may  not 
be  made."  He  added,  "  1  would  not  have  you  read 
any  thing  else  of  Cheyne,  but  his  book  on  Health,  and 
his  '  English  Malady." 

Upon  the  question  whether  a  man  who  had  been 
guilty  of  vicious  actions  would  do  well  to  force  himself 
into  solitude  and  sadness?  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir,  unless 
it  prevent  him  from  being  vicious  again.  With  some 
people,  gloomy  penitence  is  only  madness  turned  up- 
\  side  down.  A  man  may  be  gloomy,  till,  in  order  to  be 
relieved  from  gloom,  he  has  recourse  again  to  criminal 
induloencies." 

On  Wednesday,  April  10,  I  dined  with  him  at  Mr. 
Thrale's  where  were  Mr.  Murphy  and  some  other  com- 
pany. Before  dinner,  Dr.  Johnson  and  1  passed  some 
time  by  ourselves.  1  was  sorry  to  find  it  was  now  re- 
solved that  the  proposed  journey  to  Italy  should  not 
take  place  this  year.  He  said,  "  I  am  disappointed,  to 
be  sure  ;  but  it  is  not  a  great  disappointment."  1  won- 
dered to  see  him  bear,  with  a  philosophical  calmness, 
what  would  have  made  most  people  peevish  and  fretful. 
I  perceived,  however,  that  he  had  so  warmly  cherished 
the  hopt^  of  enjoying  classical  scenes,  that  he  could  not 
easily  part  with  the  scheme  ;  for  he  said,  "  1  shall  prob- 
ably contrive  to  get  to  Italy  some  other  way.  But  I 
won't  mention  it  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale,  as  it  might 
vex  them."  1  suggested,  that  going  to  Italy  might 
have  done  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale  good.  vTohnson.  "  1 
rather  believe  not.  Sir.  While  grief  is  fresh,  every  at- 
tempt to  divert  only  irritates.  You  must  wait  till  grief 
be  digested,  and  then  amusement  will  dissipate  the  re- 
mains of  it." 

At  dinner,  Mr.  Murphy  entertained  us  with  the  his- 
tory of  Mr.  Joseph  Simpson,   a  schoolfellow  of  Dr 


DR.    JOHNSON.  991) 

Johnson's,  a  banister  at  law,  of  good  parts,  but  who  fell  177G. 
into  a  (iissipateii  course  of  life,   incompatible  with  that  ^(^ 
success  in  his  profession  whicii  he  once  had,  and  would    c;-. 
otherwise  have  deservedly  maintained  ;  yet  he  still  pre- 
served a  diunity  in  his  deportment.     He  wrote  a  tragedy 
on  the  story  of  J^eonidas,  entitled  "  The  Patriot."     lie 
read   it  to  a  company  of  lawyers,  who  found  so  many 
faults  that  he  wrote  it  over  again  :  so  then  there  were 
two  tragedies  on  the  same  subject  and  with  the  same  ti- 
tle.    Dr.  Johnson  told  us,  that  one  of  them  was  still  in 
his   possession.     This   very  piece  was,  after  his  death, 
published  by  some  person  who  had  been  about  him,  and, 
for  the  sake  of  a  little  hasty  profit,  was  fallaciously  ad- 
vertised, so  as  to  make  it  be  believed  to  have  been  writ- 
ten by  Johnson  himself. 

I  said,  1  disliked  the  custom  which  some  people  had 
of  bringino^  their  children  into  company,  because  it  in 
a  manner  forced  us  to  pay  foolish  compliments  to  please 
their  parents.  Johnson.  "  You  are  right,  Sir.  We 
maybe  excused  for  not  caring  much  about  other  peo- 
ple's children,  for  there  are  many  who  care  very  little 
about  their  own  children.  It  may  be  observed,  that 
men,  who  from  being  engaged  in  business,  or  from  their 
course  of  life  in  whatever  vvay,  seldom  see  their  chil- 
dren, do  not  care  much  about  them.  I  myself  should 
not  have  had  much  fondness  for  a  child  of  my  own.'" 
JMrs.  Thrale.  "Nay,  Sir,  how  can  you  talk  so?" 
Johnson.  "  At  least,  1  never  wished  to  have  a  child." 

Mr.  INIurphy  mentioned  Dr.  Johnson's  having  a  de- 
sign to  publish  an  edition  of  Cowley.  Johnson  said,  he 
did  not  know  but  he  should  ;  and  he  expressed  his  dis- 
approbation of  Dr.  Hurd,  for  having  published  a  muti- 
lated edition  under  the  title  of  "  Select  Works  of  Abra- 
ham Cowley."  Mr.  Murphy  thought  it  a  bad  prece- 
dent ;  observing,  that  any  authour  might  be  used  in  the 
same  manner ;  and  that  it  was  pleasing  to  see  the  variety 
of  an  authour's  compositions,  at  different  periods. 

We  talked  of  Flatman's  Poems  ;  and  Mrs.  Thrale 
observed,  that  Pope  had  partly  borrowed  from  him, 
"  The  dying  Christian  to  his  Soul.''     Johnson  repeated 


300  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  Rochester's  verses  upon  Flatman,  which,  1  think,  by 
^j^  much  too  severe  : 

^'    "  Nor  that  slovi^  drudge  in  swift  Pindarick  strains,  ~^ 
"  Flatman,  who  Cowley  imitates  with  pains,  ^ 

"  And  rides  a  jaded  Muse,  whipt  with  loose  reins."  J 

I  like  to  recollect  all  the  passages  that  I  heard  Johnson 
repeat :  it  stamps  a  value  on  them. 

He  told  us,  that  the  book  entitled  "  The  Lives  of  the 
Poets,  by  Mr.  Cibber,"  was  entirely  compiled  by  Mr. 
Shiels,'    a  Scotchman,  one  of  his  amanuenses.     "The 

'  In  the  Monthly  Review  for  May,  1792,  there  is  such  a  correction  of  tlie  above 
passage,  as  I  should  think  myself  very  culpable  not  to  subjoin.  "  This  account  is 
very  inaccurate.  The  following  statement  of  facts  we  know  to  be  true,  in  every 
material  circumstance  ;  —  Shiels  was  the  principal  collector  and  digester  of  the  ma- 
terials for  the  work  :  but  as  he  was  very  raw  in  authourship,  an  indifferent  writer 
in  prose,  and  his  language  full  of  Scotticisms,  Gibber,  who  was  a  clever,  lively 
fellow,  and  then  soliciting  employment  among  the  booksellers,  was  engaged  to  cor- 
rect the  style  and  diction  of  the  whole  work,  then  intended  to  make  only  four  vol- 
umes, with  power  to  alter,  expunge,  or  add,  as  he  Uked.  He  was  also  to  supply 
Kotes,  occasionally,  especially  concerning  those  dramatick  poets  with  whom  he  had 
been  chiefly  conversant.  He  also  engaged  to  write  several  of  the  Lives  ;  which, 
(as  we  are  told,)  he,  accordingly,  performed.  He  was  farther  useful  in  striking  out 
the  Jacobitical  and  Tory  sentiments,  which  Shiels  had  industriously  interspersed 
wherever  he  could  bring  them  in  : — and  as  the  success  of  the  work  appeared,  af- 
ter all,  very  doubtful,  he  was  content  with  twenty-one  pounds  for  his  labour  be- 
sides a  few  sets  of  the  books,  to  disperse  among  his  friends. — Shiels  had  nearly 
seventy  pounds,  beside  the  advantage  of  many  of  the  best  Lives  in  the  work  be- 
ing communicated  by  friends  to  the  undertaking ;  and  for  which  Mr.  Shiels  had 
the  same  consideration  as  for  the  rest,  being  paid  by  the  sheet,  for  the  whole.  He 
was,  however,  so  angry  with  his  Whiggish  supervisor,  (The.  like  his  father,  being 
a  violent  stickler  for  the  political  principles  which  prevailed  in  the  reign  of 
George  the  Second,)  for  so  unmercifully  mutilating  his  copy,  and  scouting  his 
pohticks,  that  he  wrote  Gibber  a  challenge  :  but  was  prevented  from  sending  it, 
by  the  publisher  who  fairly  laughed  him  out  of  his  fury.  The  proprietors,  too, 
were  discontented,  in  the  end,  on  account  of  Mr.  Gibber's  unexpected  industry  ; 
for  his  corrections  and  alterations  in  the  proof-sheets  were  so  numerous  and  con- 
siderable, that  the  printer  made  for  them  a  grievous  addition  to  his  bill ;  and,  in 
fine,  all  parties  were  dissatisfied.  On  the  whole,  tiie  work  was  productive  of  no 
profit  to  the  undertakers,  who  had  agreed,  in  case  of  success,  to  make  Gibber  a 
present  of  some  addition  to  the  twenty  guineas  which  he  had  received,  and  for 
which  his  receipt  is  now  in  the  booksellers'  hands.  We  are  farther  assured,  that 
he  actually  obtained  an  additional  sum  ;  when  he,  soon  after,  (in  the  year  175S.) 
unfortunately  embarked  for  Dublin,  on  an  engagement  for  one  of  the  theatres 
there  :  but  the  ship  was  cast  away,  and  every  person  on  board  perished.  'I'hore 
were  about  sixty  passengers,  among  whom  was  the  Earl  of  Drogheda,  witli  many 
other  persons  of  consequence  and  property. 

"  As  to  the  alledged  design  of  making  the  compliment  pass  for  the  work  of  old 
Mr.  Gibber,  the  charges  seem  to  have  been  founded  on  a  soniewhnt  luich.-iiitahle 
construction.  We  are  assured  that  the  thought  was  not  harboured  by  some  of  the 
proprietors,  who  are  all  still  living  ;  and  we  hope  that  it  did  not  occur  to  the  first 
designer  of  {he  work,  who  was  alto  the  printer  of  it,  and  who  bore  a  respectable, 
^har^cter. 


ijR.    JOHNSON.  .JUl 

booksellers  (said  he,)  gave  Theophilus  Cibber,  who  was  1776. 
then  ill  prison,  ten  guineas,  to  allow  Mr.  Cibber  to  be  ]^^ 
put   upt»n    the  title-page,  as   the   authour ;  by  this,  a   (jy. 
douhK   imposition  was  intended  :  in  the  fust  place,  that 
it  was  the  work  of  a  Cibber  at  all ;  and,  in  the  second 
place,  that  it  was  the  work  of  old  Cibber." 

Mr.  Murphy  said,  that  "  The  Memoirs  of  Gray's 
Life  set  him  much  higher  in  his  estimation  than  his  po- 
ems did  ;  for  you  there  saw  a  man  constantly  at  work 
in  literature."  .Johnson  acquiesced  in  this;  but  depre- 
ciated the  book,  1  thought  very  unreasonably.  For  he 
said,  "  1  forced  myself  to  read  it,  only  because  it  was 
a  comnjoi)  topick  of  conversation.  1  found  it  mighty 
dull ;  and,  as  to  the  style,  it  is  fit  for  the  second  table." 
Why  he  thought  so  1  was  at  a  loss  to  conceive.  He 
now  gave  it  as  his  opinion,  that  "  Akenside  was  a  supe- 
riour  poet  both  to  Gray  and  Mason." 

Talking  of  the  Reviews,  Johnson  said,  "  I  think  them 
very  impartial :  I  do  not  know  an  instance  of  partiality," 
He  mentioned  what  had  passed  upon  the  subject  of  the 
Monthly  and  Critical  Reviews,  in  the  conversation  with 
which  his  INlajesty  had  honoured  him.  He  expatiated 
a  little  more  on  them  this  evening.  "  The  Monthly 
Reviewers,  (said  he)  are  not  Deists  ;  but  they  are  Chris- 
tians with  as  little  Christianity  as  ma}'  be ;  and  are  for 
pulling  down  all  establishments.  The  Critical  Review- 
ers are  for  supporting  the  constitution   both  in  church 


"  We  have  been  induced  to  enter  thus  circumstantially  into  tlie  foregoing  de- 
tail of  facts  relating  to  the  1-ives  of  tlie  Poets,  compiled  by  Messrs.  Cibber  and 
Shicis,  from  a  sincere  regard  to  that  sacred  principle  of  Truth,  to  which  Dr.  John- 
son so  rigidly  adhered,  according  to  tlie  best  of  his  knowledge  ;  and  which,  we  be- 
lieve, m  erinsidirtitioii  would  have  prevailed  on  him  to  violate.  In  regard  to  the 
matter,  which  we  now  dismiss,  he  had,  no  doubt,  been  misled  by  partial  and  wrong 
information  ;  Shiels  was  tlie  Doctor's  amanuensis  ;  he  had  quarelled  with  Cibber ; 
it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  he  told  his  story  in  his  own  way  ;  and  it  is  certain 
that  be  was  not  "a  very  sturdy  moralist."  This  explanation  appears  to  me  very 
satisfactory.  It  is,  however,  to  be  obser\'ed,  that  the  storj'^  told  by  Johnson  doe* 
not  rest  solely  upon  mv  record  of  his  conversation  ;  for  he  himself  has  published  it 
in  his  life  (if  Hammond,  where  he  says,  "  the  manuscript  of  Shiels  is  now  in  mv, 
possession."  Very  jirobably  he  liad  trusted  to  Shield's  word,  and  never  looked  ;ii; 
it  so  as  to  compare  it  with  "  The  Lives  of  the  Poets,"  as  j^ublishcd  under  Mr.  Gib- 
ber's name.  What  became  of  that  manuscript  I  know  not.  1  should  have  liked 
much  to  examine  it.  I  suppose  it  was  thrown  into  the  fire  in  that  impetuous  com- 
bustion of  papers,  whicii  Johnson  I  think  rashlv  executed,  wiien  moril'undus. 


305  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  and  state.*     The  Critical  Reviewers,  I  believe,  often 

"^^  review  without  reading   the  books  through  ;  but  lay 

§7.    hold  of  a  topick,  and  write  chiefly  from  their  own  minds. 

The  Monthly  Reviewers  are  duller   men,  and  are  glad 

to  read  the  books  through." 

He  talked  of  Lord  Lyttelton's  extreme  anxiety  as  an 
authour ;  observing,  that  "  he  was  thirty  years  in  pre- 
paring his  History,  and  that  he  employed  a  man  to 
point  it  for  him  ;  as  if  (laughing)  another  man  could 
point  his  sense  better  than  himself."  Mr.  Murphy 
said,  he  understood  his  history  vi^as  kept  back  several 
years  for  fear  of  Smollett.  Johnson.  "  This  seems 
strange  to  Murphy  and  me,  who  never  felt  that  anxiety, 
but  sent  what  we  wrote  to  the  press,  and  let  it  take  its 
chance."  Mrs.  Thrale.  "  The  time  has  been.  Sir, 
when  you  felt  it."  Johnson.  "  Why  really.  Madam, 
I  do  not  recollect  a  time  when  that  was  the  case." 

Talking  of  "  The  Spectator,"  he  said,  "  It  is  won- 
derful that  there  is  such  a  proportion  of  bad  papers,  in 
the  half  of  the  work  which  was  not  written  by  Addi- 
son ;  for  there  was  all  the  world  to  write  that  half,  yet 
not  a  half  of  that  half  is  good.  One  of  the  finest  pieces 
,  in  the  English  language  is  the  paper  on  Novelty,  yet 
we  do  not  hear  it  talked  of.  It  was  written  by  Grove, 
a  dissenting  teacher."  He  would  not,  I  perceived,  call 
him  a  cie/gijman,  though  he  was  candid  enough  to  al- 
low very  great  merit  to  his  composition.  Mr.  INIurphy 
said,  he  remembered  when  there  were  several  people 
alive  in  London,  who  enjoyed  a  considerable  reputation 
merely  from  having  written  a  paper  in  "  The  Specta- 
tor." He  mentioned  particularly  Mr.  Ince,  who  used 
to  frequent  Tom's  coffee-house.  "  But  (said  Johnson,) 
you  must  consider  how  highly  Steele  speaks  of  Mr. 
Ince."  He  would  not  allow  that  the  paper  on  carrying 
a  boy  to  travel,  signed  Philip  Homebred,  which  was 
reported  to  be  written  by  the  Lord  Chancellor  Hard- 
wicke,  had  merit.  He  said,  "  it  was  quite  vulgar,  and 
had  nothing  luminous." 

*  [Johnson's  opinions  concerning  the  Monthly  and  Critical  Reviews  would  not 
be  accurate  now  [1 803.]     B.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  303 

Johnson  mentioned  Dr.  Carry's '  System  of  Physick.  i776. 
"  He  was  a  man  (said  he,)  who  had  acquired   a  high  ^J^ 
reputation    in    Dublin,    came    over   to    England,    and    07. 
brought  his  reputation  with   him,   l)Ut  had   not  great 
success.      His   notion   was,    that    pulsation    occasions 
death  by  attrition  ;  and  that,  therefore,  the  way  to  pre- 
serve  life  is  to  retard   pulsation.     But   we  know  that 
pulsation  is  strongest  in  infants,  and   that  we  increase 
in  growth  while  it  operates  in  its  regular  course  ;  so 
it  cannot  be  the  cause  of  destruction."     Soon   after 
this,  he  said  something  very  flattering  to  Mrs.  Thrale, 
which  I  do  not  recollect  ;  but  it  concluded  with  wish- 
ing her  long  life.     "  Sir,  (said  1,)  if  Dr.  Barry's  system 
be  true,  vou  have  now  shortened   Mrs.  Thrale's   life, 
perhaps,  some  minutes,  by  accelerating  her  pulsation." 

On  Thursday,  April  11,  1  dined  with  him  at  Gener- 
al Paoli's,  in  whose  house  I  now  resided,  and  where  I 
had  ever  afterwards  the  honour  of  being  entertained 
with  the  kindest  attention  as  his  constant  guest,  while 
I  was  in  London,  till  1  had  a  house  of  my  own  there. 
I  mentioned  my  having  that  morning  introduced  to  Mr. 
Garrick,  Count  Neni,  a  Flemish  Nobleman  of  great 
rank  and  fortune,  to  whom  Garrick  talked  of  Abel 
Drugger  as  a  small  part  ;  and  related,  with  pleasant 
vanity,  that  a  Frenchman  who  had  seen  him  in  one  of 
his  low  characters,  exclaimed,  "  Comment  !  je  ne  le 
crois  pas.  Ce  11  est  pas  Monsieur  Garrick,  ce  Grand 
Homme  /"  Garrick  added,  with  an  appearance  of 
grave  recollection,  '■  If  I  were  to  begin  life  again,  I 
think  1  should  not  play  those  low  characters."  LTpon 
which  I  observed,  "  Sir,  you  would  be  in  the  wrong ; 
for  your  great  excellence  is  your  variety  of  playing, 
your  representing  so  well,  characters  so  very  different." 
Johnson.  "  Garrick,  Sir,  was  not  in  earnest  in  what 
he  said  ;  for,  to  be  sure,  his  peculiar  excellence  is  his 
variety  ;  and,  perhaps,  there  is  not  any  one  character 
which  has  not  been  as  well  acted  by  somebody  else,  as. 
he  could  do  it."  Boswell.  "  Why  then.  Sir,  did  he 
talk  so  ?"  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  to  make  you  answer 
as  you   did."     Boswell.    "   I  don't  know,  Sir  ;    he 

'  Sir  Edward  Barrjr,  Baronet. 


304  THE    LIFE    OP 

1776.  seemed  to  dip  deep  into  his  mind  for  the  reflection." 
2J^  Johnson.  "  He  had  not  far  to  dip,  Sir  :  he  had  said  the 
67.    same  thing,  probably,  twenty  times  before/^ 

Of  a  nobleman  raised  at  a  very  early  period  to  high 
office,  he  said,  "  His  parts,  Sir,  are  pretty  well  for  a 
Lord  ;  but  would  not  be  distinguished  in  a  man  who 
had  nothing  else  but  his  parts." 

A.  journey  to  Italy  was  still  in  his  thoughts.  He 
said,  "  A  man  who  has  not  been  in  Italy,  is  always 
conscious  of  an  inferiority,  from  his  not  having  seen 
what  it  is  expected  a  man  should  see.  The  grand  ob- 
ject of  travelling  is  to  see  the  shores  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean. On  those  shores  were  the  four  great  Empires 
of  the  world  ;  the  Assyrian,  the  Persian,  the  Grecian, 
and  the  Roman. — All  our  religion,  almost  all  our  law, 
almost  all  our  arts,  almost  all  that  sets  us  above  sav- 
ages, has  come  to  us  from  the  shores  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean." The  General  observed,  that  "  The  Medi- 
terranean would  be  a  noble  subject  for  a  poem." 

We  talked  of  translation.  1  said,  I  could  not  define 
it,  nor  could  I  think  of  a  similitude  to  illustrate  it  ; 
but  that  it  appeared  to  me  the  translation  of  poetry 
could  be  only  imitation.  Johnson.  "  You  may  trans- 
late books  of  science  exactly.  You  may  also  translate 
history,  in  so  far  as  it  is  not  embellished  with  oratory, 
which  is  poetical.  Poetry,  indeed  cannot  be  translated ; 
'  and,  therefore,  it  is  the  poets  that  preserve  languages  ; 
for  we  would  not  be  at  the  trouble  to  learn  a  language, 
if  we  could  have  all  that  is  written  in  it  just  as  well  in 
a  translation.  But  as  the  beauties  of  poetry  cannot  be 
preserved  in  any  language  except  that  in  which  it  was 
originally  written,  we  learn  the  language." 

A  gentleman  maintained  that  the  art  of  printing  had 
hurt  real  learning,  by  disseminating  idle  writings. — 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  art  of  print- 
ing, we  should  now  have  no  learning  at  all  ;  for  books 
*  would  have  perished  faster  than  they  could  have  been 
transcribed."  This  observation  seems  not  just,  con- 
sidering for  how  many  ages  books  were  preserved  by 
writing  alone.* 

^  [The  authour  did  not  recollect  tliat  of  the  books  preserved  (and  an  infinite 
number  was  lost)  all  were  confined  to  two  languages.     In  modern  times  and  mod- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  305 

The  same  gentleman  maintained,   that  a  general  dif-  1776. 
Fusion  of  knowledge  among  a  people  was  a  disadvan-  ^^'.^ 
tage  ;  for  it  made  the  vulgar  rise  above   their  humble    aj. 
sphere.     Johnson.  "  Sir,   while   knowledge  is   a  dis- 
tinction,  those  who  are   possessed  of  it  will  naturally 
rise  above   those  who  arc  not.     Merely  to   read  and 
write  was  a  distinction  at  first  ;  but  we  see  when  read- 
ing and  writing  have   become  general,  the    common 
people  keep   their  stations.     And  so,   were   higher  at- 
tainments to  become  general,  the  effect  would  be  the 
same." 

"  Cloldsmith  (he  said,)  referred  every  thing  to  vanity  ; 
his  virtues,  and  his  vices  too  were  from  that  motive. 
He  was  not  a  social  man.  He  never  exchanged  mind 
with  you." 

We  spent  the  evening  at  Mr.  Hoole's.  Mr.  Mickle, 
the  excellent  translator  of  "  The  Lusiad,"  was  there. 
I  have  preserved  little  of  the  conversation  of  this  eve- 
ning. Dr.  Johnson  said,  "  Thomson  had  a  true  poet- 
ical genius,  the  power  of  viewing  every  thing  in  a 
poetical  light.  His  fault  is  such  a  cloud  of  words 
sometimes,  that  the  sense  can  hardly  peep  through. 
Shiels,  who  compiled  '  Gibber's  Lives  of  the  Poets,'' 
was  one  day  sitting  with  me.  1  took  down  Thomson, 
and  read  aloud  a  large  portion  of  him,  and  then  asked, — 
Is  not  this  fine  I  Shiels  having  expressed  the  highest 
admiration.  Well,  Sir,  (said  1,)  1  have  omitted  every. 
other  line." 

I  related  a  dispute  between  Goldsmith  and  Mr. 
Robert  Dodsley,  one  day  when  they  and  1  were  dining 
at  Tom  Davies's,  in  1762.  Goldsmith  asserted,  that 
there  was  no  poetry  produced  in  this  age.  Dodsley 
appealed  to  his  own  Collection,  and  maintained,  that 
though  you  could  not  find  a  palace  like  Dryden's  "Ode 
on  St.  Cecilia's  Day,"  you  had  villages  composed  of 
very  pretty  houses  :  and  he  mentioned  particularly 
"  The  Spleen."     Johnson.  "  I  think  Dodsley  gave  up 

ern  languae;es,  France  and  Italy  alone  produce  more  books  in  a  given  time  than 
Greece  and  Rome  ;  put  England,  Spain,  Germany,  and  the  Northern  kingdoms  out 
f'f  the  question.     B.] 

■>  See  ante  Note,  p.  300,  &c. 
VOr,.    TT.  ,jO 


306  THE    LIFE    OF 

'77^-  the  question.     He  and  Goldsmith  said  the  same  thing  ; 

JJ^  only  he  said  it  in  a  softer  manner  than  Goldsmith  did  ; 

67.  for  he  acknowledged  that  there  was  no  poetry,  nothing 
that  towered  above  the  common  mark.  You  may  find 
wit  and  humour  in  verse,  and  yet  no  poetry.  '  Hudi- 
bras'  has  a  profusion  of  these  ;  yet  it  is  not  to  be 
reckoned  a  poem.  '  The  Spleen,'  in  Dodsley's  collec- 
tion, on  which  you  say  he  chiefly  rested,  is  not  poetry." 
BoswELL.  "  Does  not  Gray's  poetry,  Sir,  tower  above 
the  common  mark  ?"  Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir  ;  but  we 
must  attend  to  the  difference  between  what  men  in 
general  cannot  do  if  they  would,  and  what  every  man 
may  do  if  he  would.  Sixteen-string  Jack'  towered 
above  the  common  mark."  Boswell.  "  Then  Sir, 
what  is  poetry  V  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  it  is  much 
^  easier  to  say  what  it  is  not.  We  all  know  what  light 
is  ;  but  it  is  not  easy  to  teii  what  it  is." 

On  Friday,  April  12,  I  dined  with  him  at  our  friend 
Tom  Davies's,  where  we  met  Mr.  Cradock,  of  Leices- 
tersliiie,  authour  of  "  Zobeide,"  a  tragedy  ;  a  very 
pleasing  gentleman,  to  whom  my  friend  Dr.  Farmer's 
very  excellent  Essay  on  the  Learning  of  Shakspeare  is 
addressed  ;  and  Dr.  Harwood,  who  has  written  and 
published  various  works  ;  particularly  a  fantastical 
translation  of  the  New  Testament,  in  modern  phrase, 
and  with  a  Socinian  twist. 

1  introduced  Aristotle's  doctrine  in  his  "  Art  of 
Poetry,"  of  "  the  xoSa^irti;  tuv  7ra.h{ji.ctTuv ,  the  purging  of  the 
passions,"  as  the  purpose  of  tragedy.^  "  But  how  are 
the  passions  to  be  purged  by  terrour  and  pity  !"  (said 
I,  with  an  assumed  air  of  ignorance,  to  incite  him  to 
talk,  for  which  it  was  often  necessary  to  employ  some 
address.)  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  you  are  to  consider 
what  is  the  meaning  of  purging  in  the  original  sense. 
It  is  to  expel  impurities  from  the  human  body.  The 
mind  is  subject  to  the  same  imperfection.  The  pas- 
sions are  the  great  movers  of  human  actions  ;  but  they 

>  A  noted  highwayman,  who  after  having  been  several  times  tried  and  acquitted, 
was  at  last  hanged.  He  was  remarkable  for  foppery  in  his  dress,  and  particularly 
for  wearing  a  bunch  of  sixteen  strings  at  the  knees  of  his  breeches. 

•^  See  an  ingenious  Essay  on  this  subject  by  the  late  Dr.  Moor,  Greek  professcr 
at  Glasgow. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  307 

are   mixed   with   such   impurities,  that   it  is   necessary  •77*»- 
tliey  shoulil   be  purged  or  refined  by  means  of  terrour^,'^ 
and   pity.     For  instance,   ambition  is  a  noble  passion  ;   67. 
but  by  seeing'   upon   the  stage,  that  a   man    who  is  so 
excessively  ambitious  as  to  raise  himself  by  injustice, 
is  punished,  w(^  are  terrified  at  the  fatal  consequences 
of  such  a  passion.     In  the  same  manner  a  certain  de- 
gree of  resentment  is  necessary  ;  but  if  we  see  that  a 
man  carries  it  too  far,  we  pity  the  object  of  it,  and  are 
taught  to  moderate  that  passion."     My  record    upon 
this  occasion  does  great  injustice  to  Johnson's  expres- 
sion, which    was  so   forcible  and  brilhant,    that    Mr. 
Cradock  wliispered  me,  "  O  that  his  words  were  writ- 
ten in  a  book  !" 

1  observed  the  great  defect  of  the  tragedy  of  "  Othel- 
lo" was,  that  it  had  not  a  moral  ;  for  that  no  man  could 
resist  the  circumstances  of  suspicion  which  were  art- 
fully suggested  to  Othello's  mind.  Johnson.  "  In  the 
first  place.  Sir,  we  learn  from  Othello  this  very  useful 
moral,  not  to  make  an  unequal  match  ;  in  the  second 
place,  we  learn  not  to  yield  too  readily  to  suspicion. 
The  handkerchief  is  merely  a  trick,  though  a  very 
pretty  trick  ;  but  there  are  no  other  circumstances  of 
reasonable  suspicion,  except  what  is  related  by  lago  of 
Cassio's  warm  expressions  concerning  Desdemona  in 
his  sleep  ;  and  that  depended  entirely  upon  the  asser- 
tion of  one  man.  No,  Sir,  1  think  Othello  has  more 
moral  than  almost  any  play." 

Talking  of  a  penurious  gentleman  of  our  acquaint- 
ance, Johnson  said,  "  Sir,  he  is  narrow,  not  so  much 
from  avarice,  as  from  impotence  to  spend  his  n^oney. 
He  cannot  find  in  his  heart  to  pour  out  a  bottle  of 
wine  ;  but  he  would  not  much  care  if  it  should  sour." 

He  said,  he  wished  to  see  "  John  Dennis's  Critical 
Works"  collected.  Davies  said  they  would  not  sell. 
Dr.  Johnson  seemed  to  think  otherwise. 

Davies  said  of  a  well  known  dramatick  authour,  that 
"  he  lived  upon  potted  stories^  and  that  he  made  his 
way  as  Hannibal  did,  by  vinegar  ;  having  begun  by  at- 
tacking people  ;  |)articularly  the  players." 


308  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.      He  reminded  Dr.  Johnson  of  Mr.  Murphy's  having 
21at^  paid  him  the  highest  comphment  that  ever  was  paid  to 
67.  *  a  layman,  by  asking  his  pardon  for  repeating  some  oaths 
in  the  course  of  telling  a  story. 

Johnson  and  1  supped  this  evening  at  the  Crown 
and  Anchor  tavern,  in  company  with  Sir  Joshua  Rey- 
nolds, Mr.  Langton,  Mr.  Nairne,  now  one  of  the  Scotch 
Judges,  with  the  title  of  Lord  Dunsinan,  and  my  very 
worthy  friend,  Sir  William  Forbes,  of  Pitsligo. 

We  discussed  the  question  whether  drinking  im- 
proved conversation  and  benevolence.  Sir  Joshua 
maintained  it  did.  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir  :  before  din- 
ner men  meet  with  great  inequality  of  understanding  ; 
and  those  who  are  conscious  of  their  inferiority,  have 
the  modesty  not  to  talk.  When  they  have  drunk  wine, 
every  man  feels  himself  happy,  and  loses  that  modesty, 
and  grows  impudent  and  vociferous  :  but  he  is  not 
improved  :  he  is  only  not  sensible  of  his  defects."  Sir 
Joshua  said  the  Doctor  was  talking  of  the  effects  of 
excess  in  wine  ;  but  that  a  moderate  glass  enlivened 
the  mind,  by  giving  a  proper  circulation  to  the  blood. 
"  I  am  (said  he,)  in  very  good  spirits,  when  1  get  up  in 
the  morning.  By  dinner-time  1  am  exhausted  ;  wine 
puts  me  in  the  same  state  as  when  1  got  up  ;  and  1 
am  sure  that  moderate  drinking  makes  people  talk 
better."  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir ;  wine  gives'"  not  light, 
gay,  ideal,  hilarity  ;  but  tumultuous,  noisy,  clamorous 
merriment.  1  have  heard  none  of  those  drunken, — 
nay,  drunken  is  a  coarse  word, — none  of  those  vinous 
flights."  Sir  Joshua.  "  Because  you  have  sat  by, 
quite  sober,  and  felt  an  envy  of  the  happiness  of  those 
•who  were  drinking."  Johnson.  "  Perhaps,  contempt. 
— And,  Sir,  it  is  not  necessary  to  be  drunk  one's  self, 
to  relish  the  wit  of  drunkenness.  Do  we  not  judge  of 
the  drunken  wit,  of  the  dialogue  between  lago  and 
Cassio,  the  most  excellent  in  its  kind,  when  we  are 
quite  sober  ?  Wit  is  wit,  by  whatever  means  it  is  pro- 
duced ;  and,  if  good,  will  appear  so  at  all  times.  I 
admit  that  the  spirits  are  raised  by  drinking,  as  by 
the  common  participation  of  any  pleasure  :  cock-iight- 
jng,  or  bear-baiting,  will  raise  the  spirits  of  a  companVj 


DR.    JOHNSON.  309 

US  drinkinc^  does,  though  surely  they  will  not  improve  '•776. 
conversation.     1  also  admit,  that  there  are  some  «hig- ^t^ 
ifish  men  who  are  improved  by  drinking  ;  as  there  are   (17. 
fruits  which  are  not  good  till  they  are  rotten.     There 
are  such  men,  but  they  are  medlars.     1  indeed  allow 
that  there   have  been  a   very  few  men  of  talents  who 
were  improved  by  drinking  ;  but  1  maintain  that  I  am 
right  as  to  the  effects  of  drinking  in  general  :  and  let  it 
be  considered,  that  there  is  no  position,  however  false 
in  its  universality,  which  is  not  true  of  some  particular 
man."     Sir  William  I'orbes  said,  "  Might  not  a  man 
warmed  with  wine  be  like  a  bottle  of  beer,  which  is 
made  brisker  by  being  set  before  the   fire  ]"     "  Nay, 
(said  Johnson  laughing,)  I  cannot  answer  that  :  that  is 
too  much  for  me.'' 

I  observed,  that  wine  did  some  people  harm,  by  in- 
flaming, confusing,  and  irritating  their  minds  ;  but  that 
the  experience  of  mankind  had  declared  in  favour  of 
moderate  drinking.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  1  do  not  say  it  is 
wrong  to  produce  self  complacency  by  drinking  ;  1  only 
deny  that  it  improves  the  mind.  When  1  drank  wine, 
I  scorned  to  drink  it  w  hen  in  company.  1  have  drunk 
many  a  bottle  by  myself;  in  the  first  place,  because  I  had 
need  of  it  to  raise  my  spirits ;  in  the  second  place,  be- 
cause I  would  have  nobody  to  witness  its  effects  upon 
me." 

He  told  us,  "  almost  all  his  Ramblers  were  written 
just  as  they  were  wanted  for  the  press  ;  that  he  sent  a 
certain  portion  of  the  copy  of  an  essay,  and  wrote  the 
remainder,  while  the  former  part  of  it  was  printing. 
When  it  was  wanted,  and  he  had  fairly  sat  down  to  it, 
he  was  sure  it  would  be  done." 

He  said,  that  for  general  improvement,  a  man  should 
read  whatever  his  immediate  inclination  prompts  him 
to  ;  though  to  be  sure,  if  a  man  has  a  science  to  learn,  he 
must  regularly  and  resolutely  advance.  He  added, 
"  what  we  read  with  inclination  makes  a  much  stronger 
impression.  If  we  read  without  inclination,  half  the 
mind  is  employed  in  fixing  the  attention  ;  so  there  is 
but  one  half  to  be  employed  on  what  we  read."  He  told 
us,  he  read  Fielding's  "  Amelia"  through  without  stop- 


:310  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  ping.  3      He  said,  "  If  a  man  begins  to  read  in  the  mid- 
jg^  die  of  a  book,  and  feels  an  inclination  to  go  on,  let  him 
67.    not  quit  it,  to  go  to  the  beginning.     He  may  perhaps 
not  feel  again  the  inclination." 

Sir  Joshua  mentioned  Mr.  Cumberland's  Odes,  which 
were  just  published.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  they  would 
have  been  thought  as  good  as  Odes  commonly  are,  if 
Cumberland  had  not  put  his  name  to  them  ;  but  a  name 
immediately  draws  censure,  unless  it  be  a  name  that 
bears  down  every  thing  before  it. .  Nay,  Cumberland 
has  made  his  Odes  subsidiary  to  the  fame  of  another 
man.*  They  might  have  run  well  enough  by  them- 
selves ;  but  he  has  not  only  loaded  them  with  a  name, 
Vjut  has  made  them  carry  double." 

We  talked  of  the  Reviews,  and  Dr.  Johnson  spoke 
of  them  as  he  did  at  Thrale's,^  Sir  Joshua  said,  what 
I  have  often  thought,  that  he  wondered  to  fmd  so  much 
good  writing  employed  in  them,  when  the  authours 
were  to  remain  unknown,  and  so  could  not  have  the 
motive  of  fame.  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  those  who 
write  in  them,  write  well  in  order  to  be  paid  well." 

Soon  after  this  day,  he  went  to  Bath  with  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Thrale.  I  had  never  seen  that  beautiful  city,  and 
wished  to  take  the  opportunity  of  visiting  it,  while 
Johnson  was  there.  Having  written  to  him,  I  received 
the  following  answer. 

"  TO  JAMES    BOSWELL,    ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  Why  do  you  talk  of  neglect  ?  When  did  I  neg- 
lect you  ?  If  you  will  come  to  Bath,  we  shall  all  be  glad 
to  see  you.     Come,  therefore,  as  soon  as  you  can. 

"  But  I  have  a  little  business  for  you  at  London. 
Bid  Francis  look  in  the  paper  drawer  of  the  chest  of 
drawers  in  my  bed-chamber,  for  two  cases ;  one  for  the 

'  We  have  here  an  involuntary  testimony  to  the  excellence  of  this  admirable 
writer,  to  wliom  we  have  seen  that  Dr.  Johnson  directly  allowed  so  httle  mtrit. 

"  Mr.  Romney,  the  painter,  who  has  now  deservedly  established  a  high  reputa- 
tion. 

'  Page  301  of  this  volume. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  311 

Attorney-General,  and  one  for  the  Solicitor-General.  1776. 
They  lie,  1  think,  at  the  top  of  my  papt-rs ;  otherwise  J^|,^ 
they  are  somewhere  else,  and  will  give  ine  more  trouble.    07. 

"  Please  to  write  to  me  immediately,  if  they  can  be 
found.  Make  my  compliments  to  all  our  friends  round 
the  world,  and  to  Mrs.   Williams  at  home. 

"  1  am,  Sir,  your,  &c. 

"  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  Search  for  the  papers  as  soon  as  you  can,  that,  if 
it  is  necessary,  1  may  write  to  you  again  before  you 
come  down." 

On  the  26th  of  April,  I  went  to  Bath  ;  and  on  my 
arrival  at  the  Pelican  inn,  found  lying  for  me  an  oblig- 
ing invitation  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale,  by  whom  I 
was  agreeably  entertained  almost  constantly  during  my 
stay.  They  were  gone  to  the  rooms  ;  but  there  was  a 
kind  note  from  Dr.  Johnson,  that  he  should  sit  at  home 
all  the  evening.  I  went  to  him  directly,  and  before 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale  returned,  we  had  by  ourselves 
some  hours  of  tea-drinking  and  talk. 

1  shall  group  together  such  of  his  sayings  as  I  pre- 
served during  the  few  days  that  I  was  at  Bath. 

Of  a  person  who  differed  from  him  in  politicks,  he 
said,  "  In  private  life  he  is  a  very  honest  gentleman  ; 
but  1  will  not  allow  him  to  be  so  in  publick  life.  Peo- 
ple nmij  be  honest,  though  they  are  doing  wrong :  that  is, 
between  their  Maker  and  them.  But  we^  who  are  suf- 
fering by  their  pernicious  conduct,  are  to  destroy  them. 

We  are  sure  that acts  from  interest.     We  know 

what  his  genuine   principles  were.     They  who  allow 
their   passions  to  confound   the  distinctions  between    '^ 
right  and  wrong,  are  criminal.    They  may  be  convinced  ; 
but  they  have  not  come  honestly  by  their  conviction." 

It  having  been  mentioned,  1  know  not  with  what 
truth,  that  a  certain  female  political  writer,  whose  doc- 
trines he  disliked,  had  of  late  become  very  fond  of  dress, 
sat  hours  together  at  her  toilet,  and  even  put  on  rouge  : 
— Johnson.  "  She  is  better  employed  at  her  toilet, 
than  using  her  pen.  It  is  better  she  should  be  redden- 
ing her  own  cheeks,  than  blackening  other  people's 
characters." 


} 


312  THE    LIFE    OF 

i77f).       He  told  us  that  "  Addison  wrote  BugdelPs  papers  in 

]£^  the  Spectator,  at  least  mended  them  so  much,  that  he 

f)7.    made  them  almost  his  own  ;  and  that  Draper,  Tonson's 

partner,  assured  Mrs.  Johnson,  that  the  much  admired 

Epilogue  to  '  The  Distressed  Mother,'  which  came  out 

in  BugdelPs  name,  was  in  reality  written  by  Addison." 

"  The  mode  of  government  by  one  may  be  ill  adapt- 
ed to  a  small  society,  but  is  best  for  a  great  nation. 
The  characteristick  of  our  government  at  present  is  im- 
becility. The  magistrates  dare  not  call  the  guards  for 
fear  of  being  hanged.  The  guards  will  not  come  for 
fear  of  being  given  up  to  the  bhnd  rage  of  popular  ju- 
ries." 

Of  the  father  of  one  of  our  friends,  he  observed,  "  He 
never  clarified  his  notions,  by  filtrating  them  through 
other  minds.  He  had  a  canal  upon  his  estate,  where 
at  one  place  the  bank  was  too  low. — ^I  dug  the  canal 
deeper,"  said  he. 

He  told  me  that,  "  so  long  ago  as  1748  he  had  read 
*  The  Grave,  a  Poem,'^  but  did  not  like  it  much."  I 
differed  from  him  ;  for  though  it  is  not  equal  through- 
out, and  is  seldom  elegantly  correct,  it  abounds  in  sol- 
emn thought,  and  poetical  imagery  beyond  the  common 
reach.  The  world  has  differed  from  him  ;  for  the  poem 
has  passed  through  many  editions,  and  is  still  much 
read  by  people  of  a  serious  cast  of  mind. 

A.  literary  lady  of  large  fortune  was  mentioned,  as 
one  who  did  good  to  many,  but  by  no  means  "  by 
stealth,"  and  instead  of  "  blushing  to  find  it  fame," 
acted  evidently  from  vanity.  Johnson.  "  1  have  seen 
no  beings  who  do  as  much  good  from  benevolence,  as 
she  does  from  whatever  motive.  If  there  are  such  un- 
der the  earth,  or  in  the  clouds,  I  wish  they  would  come 
up,  or  come  down.  What  Soame  Jenyns  says  upon 
this  subject  is  not  to  be  minded  ;  he  is  a  wit.     No,  Sir ; 

''  I  am  sorry  tliat  there  are  no  memoirs  of  the  Reverend  Robert  Blair,  the  au- 
thour  of  this  poem.  He  was  the  representative  of  the  ancient  family  of  Blair,  of 
Blair,  in  Ayrshire,  but  the  estate  had  descended  to  a  female,  and  afterwards  passed 
to  the  son  of  her  husband  by  another  marriage.  He  was  minister  of  the  parish  of 
Athelstaneford,  where  Mr.  John  Home  was  his  successor ;  so  that  it  may  truly  he 
called  classick  ground.  His  son,  who  is  of  the  same  name,  and  a  man  eminent  for 
talents  and  learning,  is  now,  with  universal  approbation,  Solicitor-general  of  Scot- 
land. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  315 

to  act  from  pure  benevolence  is  not  possible  for  finite  i??*^' 
beings.  Human  benevolence  is  mingled  with  vanity,  ^  , 
interest,  or  some  other  motive." 

He  would  not  allow  me  to  praise  a  lady  then  at  Rath  ; 
observing,  "  She  does  not  gain  upon  me,  Sir ;  1  think 
her  empty-headed."  He  was,  indeed,  astern  critick 
upon  characters  and  manners.  Even  ^Irs.  Thrale  did 
not  escape  his  friendly  animadversion  at  times.  When 
he  and  1  were  oneday  endeavouring  to  ascertain  article 
by  article,  how  one  of  our  friends  could  possibly  spend 
as  much  money  in  his  family  as  he  told  us  he  did,  she 
interrupted  us  by  a  lively  extravagant  sally,  on  the  ex- 
pence  of  clothing  his  children,  describing  it  in  a  very 
ludicrous  and  fanciful  manner.  Johnson  looked  a  little 
angry,  and  said,  "  Nay,  Madam,  when  you  are  declaim- 
ing, declaim  ;  and  when  you  are  calculating,  calculate." 
At  another  time,  when  she  said,  perhaps  affectedly, 
"  I  don't  like  to  fly."  Johnson.  "  With  t/our  wings, 
Madam,  you  tnust  fly :  but  have  a  care,  there  are  c/ijj' 
pers  abroad."  How  very  well  was  this  said,  and  how 
fully  has  experience  proved  the  truth  of  it !  But  have 
they  not  clipped  rather  rude/i/,  and  gone  a  great  deal 
closer  than  was  necessary  ! 

A  gentleman  expressed  a  wish  to  go  and  live  three 
years  at  Otaheite,  or  New  Zealand,  in  order  to  obtain  a 
full  acquaintance  with  people,  so  totally  different  from 
all  that  we  have  ever  known,  and  be  satisfied  what  pure 
nature  can  do  for  man.  Johnson.  *'  What  could 
you  learn,  Sir  ?  What  can  savages  tell,  but  what  they 
themselves  have  seen  \  Of  the  past,  or  the  invisible, 
they  can  tell  nothing.  The  inhabitants  of  Otaheite  and 
New  Zealand  are  not  in  a  state  of  pure  nature  ;  for  it  is 
plain  they  broke  off  from  some  other  people.  Had 
they  grown  out  of  the  ground,  you  might  have  judged 
of  a  state  of  pure  nature.  Fanciful  people  may  talk  of 
a  mythology  being  amongst  them  ;  but  it  must  be  in- 
vention. They  have  once  had  religion,  which  has  been 
gradually  debased.  And  what  account  of  their  religion 
can  you  suppose  to  be  learnt  from  savages  \  Only  con- 
sider, Sir,  our  own  state:  our  religion  is  in  a  book  ;  we 
have  an  order  of  men  whose  duty  it  is  to  teach  it,  we 

^'oi  ,  Ti.  40 


314  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  have  one  day  in  the  week  set  apart  for  it,  and  this   is 
^^  in  general  pretty  well  observed  :  Yet  ask  the  first  ten 
67.   gross  men  you  meet,  and  hear  what  they  can  tell  of 
their  religion." 

On  Monday,  April  29,  he  and  I  made  an  excursion 
to  Bristol,  where  1  was  entertained  with  seeing  him  en- 
quire upon  the  spot,  into  the  authenticity  of  "  Rowleifs 
Poetry,"  as  I  had  seen  him  enquire  upon  the  spot  into 
the  authenticity  of  "  Ossian^s  Poetry."  George  Cat- 
cot,  the  pewterer,  who  was  as  zealous  for  Rowley,  as 
Hugh  Blair  was  for  Os.sicm,  (1  trust  my  Reverend  friend 
will  excuse  the  comparison,)  attended  us  at  our  inn, 
and  with  a  triumphant  air  of  lively  simplicity  called  out, 
"  I'll  make  Dr.  Johnson  a  convert."  Dr.  Johnson,  at 
his  desire,  read  aloud  some  of  Chatterton's  fabricated 
verses,  while  Catcot  stood  at  the  back  of  his  chair,  mov- 
ing himself  like  a  pendulum,  and  beating  time  with  his 
feet,  and  now  and  then  looking  into  Dr.  Johnson's  face, 
wondering  that  he  was  not  yet  convinced.  We  called 
on  Mr.  Barret,  the  surgeon,  and  saw  some  of  the  origin- 
als as  they  were  called,  which  were  executed  very  arti- 
ficially ;  but  from  a  careful  inspection  of  them,  and  a 
consideration  of  the  circumstances  with  which  they 
were  attended,  we  were  quite  satisfied  of  the  imposture, 
which,  indeed,  has  been  clearly  demonstrated  from  in- 
ternal evidence,  by  several  able  criticks.^ 

Honest  Catcot  seemed  to  pay  no  attention  whatever 
to  any  objections,  but  insisted,  as  an  end  of  all  contro- 
versy, that  we  should  go  with  him  to  the  tower  of  the 
church  of  St.  Mary,  Redcliff,  and  view  ivith  our  own  eyes 
the  ancient  chest  in  which  the  manuscripts  were  found. 
To  this.  Dr.  Johnson  good-naturedly  agreed  ;  and  though 
troubled  with  a  shortness  of  breathing,  laboured  up  a 
long  flight  of  steps,  till  we  came  to  the  place  where  the 
wonderous  chest  stood.  "  There^  (said  Catcot,  with  a 
bouncing  confident  credulity,)  there  is  the  very  chest 
itself."  After  this  ocular  demonstration^  there  was  no 
more  to  be  said.  He  brought  to  my  recollection  a 
Scotch  Highlander,  a  man  of  learning  too,  and  who  had 

Mr.  Tyrwhitt,  Mr.  Warton,  Mr.  Malone. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  3l'J 

seen  the  world,  attesting,  and  at  the  same  tnne  giving  i77o\ 
his  reasons  for   the  authenticity  of  Fingal  : — "  1  have  ^^^ 
heard  all  that  poem  w  hen  1  was  young." — "'  Have  you,    07, 
Sir  I    Pray  what  have  you  heard  !" — "■  1  have  heard  Os- 
sian,  Oscar,  and  evet-i/  one  of  them.'* 

Johnson  said  of  Chatterton,  "  This  is  the  most  extra- 
ordinary young  man  that  has  encountered  my  knowl- 
edge. It  is  wonderful  how  the  whelp  has  written  such 
things." 

We  were  by  no  means  pleased  with  our  inn  at  Bris- 
tol. "  Let  us  see  now,  (said  1,)  how  we  should  de- 
scribe it."  Johnson  was  ready  with  his  raillery.  "  De- 
scribe it,  Sir  ? — \V  hy,  it  was  so  bad  that  Boswell  wished 
to  be  in  Scotland  !" 

After  Dr.  Johnson's  return  to  London,  I  was  several 
times  with  him  at  his  house,  where  I  occasionally  slept, 
in  the  room  that  had  been  assigned  for  me.  J  dined 
with  him  at  Dr.  Taylor's,  at  General  Oglethorpe's,  and 
at  General  Paoli's,  To  avoid  a  tedious  minuteness, 
I  shall  group  together  what  I  have  preserved  of  his 
conversation  during  this  period  also,  without  specifying 
each  scene  where  it  passed,  except  one,  which  will  be 
found  so  remarkable  as  certainly  to  deserve  a  very  par- 
ticular relation.  Where  the  place  or  the  persons  do 
not  contribute  to  the  zest  of  the  conversation,  it  is  un- 
necessary to  encumber  my  page  with  mentioning  them. 
To  know  of  what  vintage  our  wine  is,  enables  us  to 
judge  of  its  value,  and  to  drink  it  with  more  relish  :  but 
to  have  the  produce  of  each  vine  of  one  vineyard,  in 
the  same  year,  kept  separate,  would  serve  no  purpose. 
To  know  that  our  wine,  (to  use  an  advertising  phrase,) 
is  '•  of  the  stock  of  an  Ambassadour  lately  deceased," 
heightens  its  flavour  :  but  it  signifies  nothing  to  know 
the  bin  where  each  bottle  was  once  deposited. 

"  Garrick,  (he  observed,)   does  not  play  the  part  of 
Archer  in  *  The  Beaux  Stratagem'  well.     The  gentle- 
man should  break  out  through  the  footman,  which  is  . 
not  the  case  as  he  does  it." 

"  Where  there  is  no  education,  as  in  savage  coun- 
tries, men  will  have  the  upper  hand  of  women.  Bodi- 
ly strength,  no  doubt  contributes  to  this  ;  but  it  would 


11 6  THE    LIFE   OF 

76.  he  so,  exclusive  of  that ;  for  it  is   mind  that   always 
aT  8<^'V€'^ii'5'     When  it  comes  to  dry  understanding,  man 
07.    has  the  better." 

"  The  little  volumes  entitled  '  Respuhlicce^  which 
are  very  well  done,  were  a  bookseller's  work. 

"  There  is  much  talk  of  the  misery  which  we  cause 
to  the  brute  creation  ;  but  they  are  recompensed  by  ex- 
istence. If  they  were  not  useful  to  man,  and  there- 
fore protected  by  him,  they  would  not  be  nearly  so  nu- 
merous." This  argument  is  to  be  found  in  the  able 
and  benignant  Hutchinson's  "  Moral  Philosophy."  But 
the  question  is,  whether  the  animals  who  endure  such 
sufferings  of  various  kinds,  for  the  service  and  enter- 
tainment of  man,  would  accept  of  existence  upon  the 
terms  on  vi^hich  they  have  it.  Madame  Sevigne,  who, 
though  she  had  many  enjoyments,  felt  with  delicate 
sensibility  the  prevalence  of  misery,  complains  of  the 
task  of  existence  having  been  imposed  upon  her  with- 
out her  consent. 

"  That  man  is  never  happy  for  the  present  is  so  true, 
that  all  his  relief  from  unhappiness  is  only  forgetting 
himself  for  a  little  while.  Life  is  a  progress  from  want 
to  want,  not  from  enjoyment  to  enjoyment." 
-  '^  Though  many  men  are  nominally  entrusted  with 
the  administration  of  hospitals  and  other  publick  insti- 
tutions, almost  all  the  good  is  done  by  one  man,  by 
whom  the  rest  are  driven  on  ;  owing  to  confidence  in 
him,  and  indolence  in  them." 

"  Lord  Chesterfield's  Letters  to  his  son,  I  think, 
might  be  made  a  very  pretty  book.  Take  out  the  im- 
morality, and  it  should  be  put  in  the  hands  of  every 
young  gentleman.  An  elegant  manner  and  easiness 
of  behaviour  are  acquired  gradually  and  imperceptibly. 
No  man  can  say  '  I'll  be  genteel.'  There  are  ten  gen- 
teel women  for  one  genteel  man,  because  they  are 
more  restrained.  A  man  without  some  degree  of  re- 
straint is  insufferable  ;  but  we  are  all  less  restrained 
than  women.  Were  a  woman  sitting  in  company  to 
^  put  out  her  legs  before  her  as  most  men  do,  we  should 
be  tempted  to  kick  them  in."  No  man  wns  a  more 
■attentive  and  nice  observer  of  behaviour  in   tho:ie  in 


DR.   JOHNSON.  J  17 

whose  company  he  happened  to  be,  than  Johnson  ;  or  i77G. 
however  strange  it  may  seem  to  many,  had  a  higher  ^^ 
estimation  of  its  refinements.     Lord  Eliot  informs  me,   (J7. 
that  one  day  when  Johnson  and  he  were  at  dinner  in 
a  gentleman^s  house  in   London,  upon  Lord  Chester- 
field's Letters  being  mentioned,  Johnson  surprized  the 
company  by  this  sentence  :  "  Every  man  of  any  edu- 
cation would  rather  be  called  a  rascal,  than  accused  of 
deficiency  in  f/ie  graces"     Mr.  Gibbon,  who  was  pres- 
ent, turned  to  a  lady  who  knew  Johnson   well,  and 
lived  much  with  him,  and  in  his  quaint  manner,  tap- 
ping his  box,  addressed  her  thus  :  *'  Don't  j'ou  think. 
Madam,   (looking  towards  Johnson,)    that  among  a/l 
your  acquaintance  you  could  find  one  exception."  The 
lady  smiled,  and  seemed  to  acquiesce. 

"  1  read  (said  he,)  Sharpe's  letters  on  Italy  over 
again,  when  I  was  at  Bath.  There  is  a  great  deal  of 
matter  in  them.'' 

"  Mrs.  Williams  was  angry  that  Thrale's  family  did 
not  send  regularly  to  her  every  time  they  heard  from 
me  while  I  was  in  the  Hebrides.  Little  people  are  apt 
to  be  jealous  :  but  they  should  not  be  jealous  ;  for 
they  ought  to  consider,  that  superiour  attention  will 
necessarily  be  paid  to  superiour  fortune  or  rank.  Two 
persons  may  have  equal  merit,  and  on  that  account  may 
have  an  equal  claim  to  attention  ;  but  one  of  them  may 
have  also  fortune  and  rank,  and  so  may  have  a  double 
claim." 

Talking  of  his  notes  on  Shakspeare,  he  said,  "  I 
despise  those  who  do  not  see  that  I  am  right  in  the 
passage  where  as  is  repeated,  and  '  asses  of  great 
charge'  introduced.  That  on  '  To  be,  or  not  to  be,'  is 
disputable."^ 

A  gentleman,  whom  I  found  sitting  with  him  one 
morninr,',  said,  that  in  his  opinion  the  character  of  an 
infidel  was  more  detestable  than  that  of  a  man  notori-    ' 
ously  guilty  of  an  atrocious  crime.     I  differed  from 

'  It  may  be  f)bscrved,  that  Mr.  Malone,  in  his  very  valuable  edition  of  Shak- 
speare, has  fully  vindicated  Dr.  Johnson  from  the  idle  censures  which  the  first  of 
these  notes  has  given  rise  to.  The  interpretation  of  the  other  passage,  which  ^r. 
J  almson  allows  to  be  dhfataiU,  he  has  clearly  shcnvn  to  be  erroneoMs. 


318  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  him,  because  we  are  surer  of  the  odiousness  of  the  one, 
^tat!  ^^^^"  ^^  ^^^^  errour  of  the  other.      Johnson.  "  Sir,  I 
67.    agree  with  him  ;  for  the  infidel  would  be  guilty  of  any 
crime  if  he  were  inchned  to  it." 

"  Many  things  which  are  false  are  transmitted  from 
book  to  book,  and  gain  credit  in  the  world.  One  of 
these  is  the  cry  against  the  evil  of  luxury.  Now  the 
truth  is,  that  luxury  produces  much  good.  Take  the 
luxury  of  buildings  in  London.  Does  it  not  produce 
real  advantage  in  the  conveniency  and  elegance  of  ac- 
commodation, and  this  all  from  the  exertion  of  industry  ? 
People  will  tell  you,  with  a  melancholy  face,  how  many 
builders  are  in  gaol.  It  is  plain  they  are  in  gaol,  not  for 
building  ;  for  rents  are  not  fallen. — A  man  gives  half  a 
guinea  for  a  dish  of  green  peas.  How  much  gardening 
does  this  occasion  ?  how  many  labourers  must  the 
competition  to  have  such  things  early  in  the  market 
keep  in  employment  ?  You  will  hear  it  said,  very 
gravely,  '  Why  was  not  the  half-guinea,  thus  spent  in 
luxury,  given  to  the  poor  !  To  how  many  might  it 
have  afforded  a  good  meal.  Alas  !  has  it  not  gone  to 
the  industrious  poor,  whom  it  is  better  to  support  than 
the  idle  poor  .'  You  are  much  surer  that  you  are  doing 
good  when  you  pay  money  to  those  who  work,  as  the 
recompence  of  their  labour,  than  when  you  give  money 
merely  in  charity.  Suppose  the  ancient  luxury  of  a 
dish  of  peacock's  brains  were  to  be  revived,  how  many 
carcases  would  be  left  to  the  poor  at  a  cheap  rate :  and 
as  to  the  rout  that  is  made  about  people  who  are  ruined 
by  extravagance,  it  is  no  matter  to  the  nation  that  some 
individuals  suffer.  When  so  much  general  productive 
exertion  is  the  consequence  of  luxury,  the  nation  does 
not  care  tliough  there  are  debtors  in  gaol  :  nay  they 
would  not  care  though  their  creditors  were  there  too." 
The  uncommon  vivacity  of  General  Oglethorpe's 
mind,  and  variety  of  knowledge,  having  sometimes 
made  his  conversation  seem  too  desultory,  Johnson 
ebserved,  "  Oglethorpe,  Sir,  never  completes  what  he 
has  to  say." 

He  on  the  same  account  made  a  similar  remark  on 
Patrick  Lord  Eli  bank  :  "  Sir,  there  is  nothing  conclu- 
sive in  his  talk." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  319 

When  I  complained  of  having  dined  at  a  splendid  >77fi. 
table  without    hearing   one  sentence  of  conversation  ^[^ 
worthy  of  being  remembered,   he  said,    "  Sir,    there    (\~, 
seldom  is  any  such  conversation."     Boswell.  "  Wliy 
then   meet  at  table  ?"     Johnson.  "  Why  to  oat  and 
drink   together,  and   to  promote  kindness  ;    and,    Sir, 
this  is   better  done  when  there  is  no  solid  conversa- 
tion ;  for  when  there  is,  people  ditier  in  opinion,  and 
get  into  bad  humour,  or  some  of  the  company  who 
are  not  capable  of  such  conversation,  are  left  out,  and 
feel  themselves  uneasy.      It   was  for  this  reason,  Sir(  ^  ^ 
Robert   Walpole  said,  he  always  talked  bawdy  at  his  '  ^   - 
table,  because  in  that  all  could  join." 

Being  irritated  by  hearing  a  gentleman  ask  Mr. 
Levet  a  variety  of  questions  concerning  him,  when  he 
was  sitting  by,  he  broke  out,  "  Sir,  you  have  but  two 
topicks,  yourself  and  me.  I  am  sick  of  both."  "  A 
man,  (said  he,)  should  not  talk  of  himself,  nor  much 
of  any  particular  person.  He  should  take  care  not  to 
be  made  a  proverb  ;  and,  therefore,  should  avoid  hav- 
ing any  one  topick  of  which  people  can  say,  '  We  shall 
hear  him  upon  it.^  There  was  a  Dr.  Oldfield,  who 
was  always  talking  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough.  He 
came  into  a  coftee  house  one  day,  and  told  that  his 
Grace  had  spoken  in  the  House  of  Lords  for  half  an 
hour.  '  Did  he  indeed  speak  for  half  an  hour  V  (said 
Belchier,  the  surgeon,) — '  Yes.' — '  And  what  did  he 
say  of  Dr.  Oldfield  V—'  Nothing.'—'  Why  then.  Sir, 
he  was  very  ungrateful  ;  for  Dr.  Oldfield  could  not 
have  spoken  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  without  saying- 
something  of  him." 

"  Every  man  is  to  take  existence  on  the  terms  on 
which  it  is  given  to  him.  To  some  men  it  is  given 
on  condition  of  not  taking  liberties,  which  other  men 
may  take  without  much  harm.  One  may  drink  wine, 
and  be  nothing  the  worse  for  it  ;  on  another,  wine  may 
have  effects  so  inflammatory  as  to  injure  him  both  in. 
body  and  mind,  and  perhaps,  make  him  commit  some- 
thing for  which  he  may  deserve  to  be  hanged." 

"  Lord  Hailes's  '  Annals  of  Scotland'  have  not  that 
painted  form  which  is  the  taste  of  this  age  ;  but  it  is  a 


320  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  book  which  will  always  sell,  it  has  such  a  stability  of 
^^^  dates,  such  a  certainty  of  facts,  and  such  a  punctuality 
67. '  of  citation.     I  never  before  read  Scotch  history  with 
certainty." 

1  asked  him  whether  he  would  advise  me  to  read  the 

,  Bible  with  a  commentary,  and  what  commentaries  he 

/  would  recommend.     Johnson.  "  To  be  sure.  Sir,  I 

f  would  have  you  read  the  Bible  with  a  commentary  ; 

and  I  would  recommend  Lowth  and  Patrick  on  the 

Old  Testament,  and  Hammond  on  the  New." 

During  my  stay  in  London  this  spring,  I  solicited 
his  attention  to  another  law  case,  in  which  I  was  en- 
gaged. In  the  course  of  a  contested  election  for  the 
Borough  of  Dumfermhne,  which  I  attended  as  one  of 
my  friend  Colonel  (afterwards  Sir  Archibald)  Camp- 
bell's counsel  ;  one  of  his  political  agents,  who  was 
charged  with  having  been  unfaithful  to  his  employer, 
and  having  deserted  to  the  opposite  party  for  a  pecu- 
niary reward — attacked  very  rudely  in  a  news-paper 
the  Reverend  Mr.  James  Thomson,  one  of  the  minis- 
ters of  that  place,  on  account  of  a  supposed  allusion  to 
him  in  one  of  his  sermons.  Upon  this  the  minister,  on 
a  subsequent  Sunday,  arraigned  him  by  name  from  the 
pulpit  with  some  severity  ;  and  the  agent,  after  the 
Sermon  was  over,  rose  up  and  asked  the  minister  aloud, 
"  What  bribe  he  had  received  for  telling  so  many  lies 
from  the  chair  of  verity."  1  was  present  at  this  very 
extraordinary  scene.  The  person  arraigned,  and  his 
father  and  brother,  who  also  had  a  share  both  of  the 
reproof  from  the  pulpit,  and  in  the  retaliation,  brought 
an  action  against  Mr.  Thomson,  in  the  Court  of  Ses- 
sion, for  defamation  and  damages,  and  I  was  one  of 
the  counsel  for  the  reverend  defendant.  The  Libertij 
of  the  Pulpit  was  our  great  ground  of  defence  :  but  we 
argued  also  on  the  provocation  of  the  previous  attack, 
and  on  the  instant  retaliation.  The  Court  of  Session, 
however — the  fifteen  Judges,  who  are  at  the  same  time 
the  Jury,  decided  against  the  minister,  contrary  to  my 
humble  opinion  ;  and  several  of  them  expressed  them- 
selves with  indignation  against  him.  He  was  an  aged 
gentleman,  formerly  a  military  chaplain^  and  a  man  of 


I 


DR.    JOHNSON.  3^1 

high  spirit   and   honour.     Johnson   was  satisfied  that  i//^. 
the  judgement  was  wrong,  and  dictated  to  me  the  fol-  ^,.^ 
lowing  argtunent  in  confutation  of  it  :  07. 

"  Of  the  censure  pronounced  from  the  pulpit,  our 
determination  Aiust  be  formed,  as  in  other  cases,  by  a 
consideration  of  the  act  itself,  and  the  particular  cir- 
cumstances with  which  it  is  invested. 

*'  The  right  of  censure  and  rebuke  seems  necessarily 
appendant  to  the  pastoral  office.  He,  to  whom  the 
care  of  a  conurcijation  is  entrusted,  is  considered  as  the 
shepherd  of  a  flock,  as  the  teacher  of  a  school,  as  the 
father  of  a  family.  iVs  a  shepherd  tending  not  his  own 
sheep  but  those  of  his  master,  he  is  answerable  for  those 
that  stray,  and  that  lose  themselves  by  straying.  But 
no  man  can  be  answerable  for  losses  which  he  has 
not  power  to  prevent,  or  for  vagrancy  which  he  has 
not  authority  to  restrain. 

"  As  a  teacher  giving  instruction  for  wages,  and  lia- 
ble to  reproach,  if  those  whom  he  undertakes  to  inform 
make  no  proficiency,  he  must  have  the  power  of  enforc- 
ing attendance,  of  awakening  negligence,  and  repressing 
contradiction. 

"  As  a  father,  he  possesses  the  paternal  authority  of 
admonition,  rebuke,  and  punishment.  He  cannot, 
without  reducing  his  office  to  an  empty  name,  be  hin- 
dered from  the  exercise  of  any  practice  necessary  to 
stimulate  the  idle,  to  reform  the  vicious,  to  check  the 
petulant,  and  correct  the  stubborn. 

"  If  we  enquire  into  the  practice  of  the  primitive 
church,  we  shall,  I  believe,  find  the  ministers  of  the 
word,  exercising  the  whole  authority  of  this  complicat- 
ed character.  We  shall  find  them  not  only  encourag- 
ing the  good  by  exhortation,  but  terrifying  the  wicked  by 
reproof  and  denunciation.  In  the  earliest  ages  of  the 
Church,  while  n^ligion  was  yet  pure  from  secular  ad- 
vantages, the  punishment  of  sinners  was  publick  censure, 
and  open  penance  ;  penalties  inflicted  merely  by  eccle- 
siastical authority,  at  a  time  while  the  church  had  yet 
no  help  from  the  civil  power;  while  the  hand  of  the 
magistrate  lifted  only  the  rod  of  persecution  ;  and 
when  governours  were  ready  to  afford  a  refuge  to  all 
those  who  fled  from  clerical  authority, 
vor..  ir.  41 


352  THE    LIFE    OP 

!77<>.      "That  the  Church,  therefore,  had  once  a  power  of 

^^^  publick  censure  is  evident,  because  that  power  was  fre- 

67,    quently  exercised.      That  it  borrowed   not  its   power 

from  the  civil  authority,  is  hkewise  certain,  because  civil 

authority  was  at  that  time  its  enemy. 

"  The  hour  came  at  length,  when  after  three  hun- 
dred years  of  struggle  and  distress.  Truth  took  posses- 
sion of  imperial  power,  and  the  civil  laws  lent  their  aid 
to  the  ecclesiastical  constitutions.  The  magistrate  from 
that  time  co-operated  with  the  priest,  and  clerical  sen- 
tences were  made  efficacious  by  secular  force.  But  the 
State,  when  it  came  to  the  assistance  of  the  church,  had 
no  intention  to  diminish  its  authority.  Those  rebukes 
and  those  censures  which  were  lawful  before,  were  law- 
ful stil!.  But  they  had  hitherto  operated  only  upon 
voluntary  submission.  The  refractory  and  contemptu- 
ous were  at  first  in  no  danger  of  temporal  severities,  ex- 
cept what  they  might  suffer  from  the  reproaches  of 
conscience,  or  the  detestation  of  their  fellow  Chris- 
tians. When  religion  obtained  the  support  of  law,  if 
admonitions  and  censures  had  no  effect,  they  were  se- 
conded by  the  magistrates  with  coercion  and  punish- 
ment. 

"  It  therefore  appears  from  ecclesiastical  history,  that 
the  right  of  inflicting  shame  by  publick  censure  has 
been  always  considered  as  inherent  in  the  Church  ; 
and  that  this  right  was  not  conferred  by  the  civil  pow- 
er ;  for  it  was  exercised  when  the  civil  power  operated 
against  it.  By  the  civil  power  it  was  never  taken 
away  ;  for  the  Christian  magistrate  interposed  his  of- 
fice, not  to  rescue  sinners  from  censure,  but  to  supply 
more  powerful  means  of  reformation  ;  to  add  pain 
where  shame  was  insufficient  ;  and  when  men  were 
proclaimed  unworthy  of  the  society  of  the  faithful,  to 
restrain  them  by  imprisonment,  from  spreading  abroad 
the  contagion  of  wickedness. 

"  It  is  not  improbable  that  from  this  acknowledged 
power  of  publick  censure,  grew  in  time  the  practice  of 
'      auricular  confession.      Those  who  dreaded  the  blast  of 
publick   reprehension,  were  willing    to   submit   them- 
selves to  the  priest,  by  a  private   accusation  of  them- 


I 


DR.    JOHNSON.  39.i 

selves  ;  and  to  obtain  a  reconciliation  witli  the  Church  i77<>. 
by  a  kind  of  chindesiine  absolution   and  invisible  pen-  J^,'^ 
ance  ;  conditions  with  which  the  jDriest  would  in  times    07. 
of  ignorance  and  corruption,  easily  com|)ly,  as  they  in- 
creased liis   influence,  by  adding  the  knowledge  of  se- 
cret sins  to  that  of  notorious   ofi'ences,   and   enlarged 
his  authority,   by  making  him  the  sole  arbiter  of  the 
terms  of  reconcilement. 

"  From  this  bondage  the  Reformation  set  us  Wee. 
The  minister  has  no  longer  power  to  press  into  the 
retirements  of  conscience,  to  torture  us  by  interrogato- 
ries, or  put  himself  in  possession  of  our  secrets  and  our 
lives.  But  though  we  have  thus  controlled  his  usur- 
pations ;  his  just  and  original  power  remains  unimpair- 
ed. He  may  still  see,  though  he  may  not  pry  :  he  may 
yet  hear,  though  he  may  not  question.  And  that 
knowledge  which  his  eyes  and  ears  force  upon  him  it  is 
still  his  duty  to  use,  for  the  benefit  of  his  flock.  A  fa- 
ther who  lives  near  a  wicked  neighbour,  may  foibid  a 
son  to  frequent  his  company.  A  minister  who  has  in 
his  congregation  a  man  of  open  and  scandalous  wicked- 
ness, may  warn  his  parishioners  to  shun  his  conversation. 
To  warn  them  is  not  only  lawful,  but  not  to  warn  them 
would  be  criminal.  He  may  warn  them  one  by  one  in 
friendly  converse,  or  by  a  parochial  visitation.  But  if 
he  may  warn  each  man  singly,  what  shall  forbid  him  to 
warn  them  altogether !  Of  that  which  is  to  be  made 
known  to  all,  how  is  there  any  difference  whether  it  be 
communicated  to  each  singly,  or  to  all  together  ?  What 
is  known  to  all,  must  necessarily  be  publick.  Wheth- 
er it  shall  be  publick  at  once,  or  publick  by  degrees, 
is  the  only  question.  And  of  a  sudden  and  solemn 
publication  the  impression  is  deeper,  and  the  warning 
more  effectual. 

"  It  may  easily  be  urged,  if  a  minister  be  thus  left 
at  liberty  to  delate  sinners  from  the  pulpit,  and  to  pub- 
lish at  will  the  crimes  of  a  parishioner,  he  may  often  blast 
the  innocent,  and  distress  the  timorous.  He  may  be 
suspicious,  and  condemn  without  evidence  ;  he  may  be 
rash,  and  judge  without  examination  ;  he  may  be  se- 
vere, and  treat  slight  offences  with  too  much  harshness; 


324  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  he  may  be  malignant  and  partial,  and  gratify  his  private 
2iat!  interest  or  resentment  under  the  shelter  of  his  pastoral 
67.    character. 

"  Of  all  this  there  is  possibility,  and  of  all  this  there  is 
danger.  But  if  possibility  of  evil  be  to  exclude  good, 
no  good  ever  can  be  done.  If  nothing  is  to  be  at- 
tempted in  which  there  is  danger,  we  must  all  sink  into 
hopeless  inactivity.  The  evils  that  may  be  feared  from 
this  practice  arise  not  from  any  defect  in  the  institution, 
but  from  the  infirmities  of  human  nature.  Power,  in 
whatever  hands  it  is  placed,  will  be  sometimes  improp- 
erly exerted  ;  yet  courts  of  law  must  judge,  though  they 
will  sometimes  judge  amiss.  A  father  must  instruct 
his  children,  though  he  himself  may  often  want  instruc- 
tion. A  minister  must  censure  sinners,  though  his  cen- 
sure may  be  sometimes  erroneous  by  want  of  judge- 
ment, and  sometimes  unjust  by  want  of  honesty. 

"  If  we  examine  the  circumstances  of  the  present 
case,  we  shall  find  the  sentence  neither  erroneous  nor 
unjust ;  we  shall  find  no  breach  of  private  confidence, 
no  intrusion  into  secret  transactions.  The  fact  was  no- 
torious and  indubitable  ;  so  easy  to  be  proved,  that  no 
proof  was  desired.  The  act  was  base  and  treacherous, 
the  perpetration  insolent  and  open,  and  the  example 
naturally  mischievous.  The  minister,  however,  being- 
retired  and  recluse,  had  not  yet  heard  what  was  pub- 
lickly  known  throughout  the  parish ;  and  on  occasion 
of  a  publick  election,  warned  his  people,  according  to 
his  duty,  against  the  crimes  which  publick  elections 
frequently  produce.  His  w^arning  was  felt  by  one  of 
his  parishioners,  as  pointed  particularly  at  himself. 
But  instead  of  producing,  as  might  be  wished,  private 
compunction  and  immediate  reformation,  it  kindled 
only  rage  and  resentment.  He  charged  his  minister, 
in  a  publick  paper,  with  scandal,  defamation,  and  false- 
hood. The  minister,  thus  reproached,  had  his  own 
character  to  vindicate,  upon  which  his  pastoral  author- 
ity must  necessarily  depend.  To  be  charged  with  a  de- 
famatory lie  is  an  injury  which  no  man  patiently  en- 
dures in  common  life.  To  be  charged  with  polluting 
the  pastoral  office  with  scandal  and  falsehood,  was  a 


I 


DR.    JOHNSON.  .i25 

violation  of  character  still  more  atrocious,  as  it  aftVcted  ''776. 
not  only  his  personal  hut  his  clerical  veracity.     His  in-  ]^^'^ 
dignation   naturally  rose  in  proportion   to  his  honesty,    a;. 
and  with  all  the  fortitude  of  injured  honesty,  he  dared 
this  calumniator  in  the  church,  and  at  once  exonerated 
himself  from  censure,  and   rescued  his  flock  from  de- 
ception and  from  danger.     The  man  whom  he  accuses 
})retendsnot  to  be  innocent;  or  at  least  only  pretends  ; 
for  he  declines  a  trial.     The  crime  of  which  he  is  ac- 
cused has  frequent  opportunities  and  strong  tempta- 
tions.    It  has  already  spread  far,  with  much  deprava- 
tion of  private  morals,   and   much  injury  to   publick 
happiness.     To  warn   the  people,  therefore,  against  it 
was  not  wanton  and  olhcious,  but  necessary  and  pas- 
toral. 

"  VV'hat  then  is  the  fault  with  which  this  worthy 
minister  is  charged  ?  He  has  usurped  no  dominion  over 
conscience.  He  has  exerted  no  authority  in  support 
of  doubtful  and  controverted  opinions.  He  has  not 
dragged  into  light  a  bashful  and  corrigible  sinner.  His 
censure  was  directed  against  a  breach  of  morality, 
against  an  act  which  no  man  justifies.  The  man  who 
appropriated  this  censure  to  himself,  is  evidently  and 
notoriously  guilty.  His  consciousness  of  his  own 
wickedness  incited  him  to  attack  his  faithful  reprover 
with  open  insolence  and  printed  accusations.  Such  an 
attack  made  defence  necessary  ;  and  we  hope  it  will 
be  at  last  decided  that  the  means  of  defence  were  just 
and  lawful." 

When  I  read  this  to  Mr.  Burke,  he  was  highly  pleas- 
ed, and  exclaimed,  "  Well  ;  he  does  his  work  in  a 
workman-like  manner." » 

Mr.  Thomson  wished  to  bring  the  cause  by  appeal 
before  the  House  of  Lords,  but  was  dissuaded  by  the 
advice  of  the  noble  person  who  lately  presided  so  ably 
in  that   Most  Honourable  House,  and  who  was  then 

^  As  a  proof  of  Dr.  Johnson's  extraordinary  powers  of  composition,  it  appear.^ 
from  the  original  manuscript  of  this  excellent  dissertation,  of  which  he  dictated 
the  first  eight  paragraphs  on  the  10th  of  May,  and  tlic  remainder  on  the  13th, 
that  there  are  in  the  whole  only  seven  corrections,  or  rather  variations,  and  those 
not  coDaidcrabl?.  Sucii  were  at  once  the  vigorous  and  accurate  emanations  of  his 
mind. 


326  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  Attorney-General.     As  my  readers  will  no  doubt  be 
^g^  glad  also  to  read  the  opinion  of  this  eminent  man  upon 
67.    the  same  subject,  1  shall  here  insert  it. 

Case. 
"  There  is  herewith  laid  before  you, 

"   1.  Petition  for  the  Reverend  Mr.  James  Thom- 
son, minister  of  Dumfermline. 
"  2.  Answers  thereto. 

"  3.  Copy  of  the  judgement  of  the  Court  of  Ses- 
sion upon  both. 
"  4.  Notes  of  the  opinions  of  the  Judges,  being 
the  reasons  upon  which  their  decree  is  ground- 
ed. 
"  These  papers  you  will  please  to  peruse,  and  give 
your  opinion, 

"  Whether  there  is  a  probability  of  the  above  de- 
cree of  the  Court  of  Session's  being  reversed,  if 
Mr.  Thomson  should  appeal  from  the  same?" 

"  I  don't  think  the  appeal  adviseable  :  not  only 
because  the  value  of  the  judgement  is  in  no  degree  ade- 
quate to  the  expence  ;  but  because  there  are  many 
chances,  that  upon  the  general  complexion  of  the  case, 
the  impression  will  be  taken  to  the  disadvantage  of 
the  appellant. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  approve  the  style  of  that  ser- 
mon. But  the  complaint  was  not  less  ungracious  from 
that  man,  who  had  behaved  so  ill  by  his  original  libel, 
and,  at  the  time,  when  he  received  the  reproach  he 
complains  of.  In  the  last  article,  all  the  plaintiffs  are 
equally  concerned.  It  struck  me  also  with  some  won- 
der, that  the  Judges  should  think  so  much  fervour 
apposite  to  the  occasion  of  reproving  the  defendant  for 
a  little  excess. 

"  Upon  the  matter,  however,  I  agree  with  them  in 
condemning  the  behaviour  of  the  minister  ;  and  in 
thinking  it  a  subject  fit  for  ecclesiastical  censure  ;  and 
even  for  an  action,  if  any  individual  could  qualify   a 

'  It  is  curious  to  observe  that  Lord  Thurlow  tias  here,  perhaps  in  complinient  to 
North  Britain,  made  use  of  a  term  of  the  Scotch  Law,  wliich  to  an  English  reader 
may  require  exphmation.     To  qualify  a  wrong,  is  to  point  out  and  establish  it. 


I 


OK.    JOHNSON.  tV27 

wrong,  and  a  damage  arising  from  it.  But  this  I  doubt.  i77fi. 
The  circuuistance  of  publishing  the  reproach  in  a  pul- _^^]^ 
pit,  though  extremely  indecent,  and  culpable  in  anoth-  (,7. 
er  view,  does  not  constitute  a  dillerent  sort  of  wrong, 
or  any  other  rule  of  law,  than  would  have  obtained,  if 
the  same  words  had  been  pronounced  elsewhere.  1 
don't  know,  whether  there  be  any  ditference  in  the  law 
of  Scotland,  in  the  detinition  of  slander,  before  the 
Commissaries,  or  the  Court  of  Session.  Ihe  common 
law  of  England  does  not  give  way  to  actions  for  every 
reproachful  word.  An  action  cannot  be  brought  for 
general  damages,  upon  any  words  which  im|>ort  less 
than  an  offence  cognisable  by  law  ;  consequently  no 
action  could  have  been  brought  here  for  the  words  in 
question.  Both  laws  admit  the  truth  to  be  a  justifica- 
tion in  action  Jor  zaords  ;  and  the  law  of  England  does 
the  same  in  actions  for  libels.  '1  he  judgement,  there- 
fore, seems  to  me  to  have  been  wrong,  in  that  the 
Court  repelled  that  defence. 

"  E.  Thurlow." 

I  am  now  to  record  a  very  curious  incident  in  Dr. 
Johnson's  Life,  which  fell  under  my  own  observation  ; 
of  which  pars  magna  fui^  and  which  1  am  persuaded 
will,  with  the  liberal-minded,  be  much  to  his  credit. 

My  desire  of  being  acquainted  with  celebrated  men 
of  every  description,  had  made  me,  much  about  the 
same  time,  obtain  an  introduction  to  Dr.  SamuelJohn- 
son  and  to  John  Wilkes,  Esq.  Two  men  more  differ- 
ent could  perhaps  not  be  selected  out  of  all  mankind. 
They  had  even  attacked  one  another  with  some  asperity 
in  their  writings  ;  yet  1  lived  in  habits  of  friendship 
with  both.  1  could  fully  relish  the  excellence  of  each  ; 
for  I  have  ever  delighted  in  that  intellectual  chymistr}^ 
which  can  separate  good  qualities  from  evil  in  the  same 
person. 

Sir  John  Pringle,  "mine  own  friend  and  my  Fa- 
ther's friend,"  between  whom  and  Dr.  Johnson  I  in 
vain  wished  to  establish  an  acquaintance,  as  I  respected 
and  lived  in  intimacy  with  both  of  them,  observed  to 
me  once,  very  ingeniously,  "  It  is  not  in  friendship  as 


328  THE    LIFE    OF 

5  77f>.  in  matliematicks,  where  two  things,  each  equal  to  a 
third,  are  equal  between  themselves.  You  agree  with 
Johnson  as  a  middle  quality,  and  you  agree  with  me  as 
a  middle  quality  ;  but  Johnson  and  I  should  not  agree/' 
Sir  John  was  not  sufficiently  flexible  ;  so  I  desisted  ; 
knowing,  indeed,  that  the  repulsion  was  equally  strong 
on  the  part  of  Johnson  ;  who,  1  know  not  from  what 
cause,  unless  his  being  a  Scotchman,  had  formed  a  very 
erroneous  opinion  of  Sir  John.  But  I  conceived  an  ir- 
resistible wish,  if  possible,  to  bring  Dr.  Johnson  and 
Mr.  Wilkes  together.  How  to  manage  it,  was  a  nice 
and  difficult  matter. 

My  worthy  booksellers  and  friends,  Messieurs  Dilly 
in  the  Poultry,  at  whose  hospitable  and  well-covered 
table  I  have  seen  a  greater  number  of  literary  men, 
than  at  any  other,  except  that  of  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds, 
had  invited  me  to  meet  Mr.  Wilkes  and  some  more 
gentlemen  on  Wednesday,  May  lo.  "  Pray  (said  1,)  let 
us  have  Dr.  Johnson.^^ — "  What  with  Mr.  Wilkes  ?  not 
for  the  world,  (said  Mr.  Edward  Dilly  :)  Dr.  Johnson 
would  never  forgive  me." — "  Come,  (said  I,)  if  you'll 
let  me  negociate  for  you,  I  will  be  answerable  that  all 
shall  go  well."  Dilly.  "  Nay,  if  you  will  take  it 
upon  you,  I  am  sure  1  shall  be  very  happy  to  see  them 
both  here." 

Notwithstanding  the  high  veneration  which  I  enter- 
tained for  Dr.  Johnson,  i  was  sensible  that  he  was 
sometimes  a  little  actuated  by  the  spirit  of  contradic- 
tion, and  by  means  of  that  I  hoped  1  should  gain  my 
point.  I  was  persuaded  that  if  I  had  come  upon  him 
with  a  direct  proposal,  "  Sir,  will  you  dine  in  company 
with  Jack  Wilkes  ?"  he  would  have  flown  into  a  pas- 
sion, and  would  probably  have  answered,  "  Dine  with 
Jack  Wilkes,  Sir  !  Pd  as  soon  dine  with  Jack  Ketch. "^ 
I  therefore,  while  we  were  sitting  quietly  by  ourselves 
at  his  house  in  an  evening,  took  occasion  to  open  my 
plans  thus  : — "  Mr.  Dilly,  vSir,  sends  his  respectful 
compliments  to  you,  and  would  be  happy  if  you  would 
do  him  the  honour  to  dine  with  him  on   Wednesday 

•^  This  has  been  circulated  as  if  actually  said  by  Joimsoii ;  when  tlic  trutli  is,  i*: 
was  only  supposed  by  me. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  329 

next  along  with  me,  as  I  must  soon  go  to  Scotland.*'  '776- 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  I  am  obliged  to  Mr.  Dilly.  1  will  '^^ 
wait  upon  him — "  Hoswkll.  "  Provided,  Sir,  1  sup-  (jy. 
poso,  that  the  company  which  he  is  to  have,  is  agreea- 
ble to  you."  Johnson.  "  What  do  you  mean,  Sir  ? 
What  do  you  take  me  for?  Do  you  think  1  am  so 
ign<»rant  of  the  world,  as  to  imagine  that  i  am  to  pre- 
scribe to  a  gentleman  what  company  he  is  to  have  at 
his  table  !"  Boswell.  "  1  beg  your  pardon,  Sir,  for 
wishing  to  prevent  you  from  meeting  people  whom  you 
might  not  like.  Perhaps  he  may  have  some  of  what 
he  calls  his  patriotick  friends  with  him."  Johnson. 
"  W\*ll,  Sir,  and  what  then  ?  What  care  /  for  his  j)air i- 
otick  friends  !  Poh  !"  Boswell.  "1  should  not  be 
surprized  to  find  Jack  Wilkes  there."  Johnson. 
*'  And  if  Jack  Wilkes  should  be  there,  what  is  that  to 
me^  Sir  .'  My  dear  friend  let  us  have  no  more  of  this. 
I  am  sorry  to  be  angry  with  vou  ;  but  really  it  is 
treating  me  strangely  to  talk  to  me  as  if  I  could  not 
meet  any  company  whatever,  occasionally."  Bos- 
well. "  Pray  forgive  me.  Sir  :  I  meant  well.  But 
you  shall  meet  whoever  comes,  for  me."  Thus  I  se- 
cured him,  and  told  Dilly  that  he  would  find  him  very 
well  pleased  to  be  one  of  his  guests  on  the  day  ap- 
pointed. 

Upon  the  much-expected  Wednesday,  I  called  on 
him  about  half  an  hour  before  dinner,  as  I  often  did 
when  we  were  to  dine  out  together,  to  see  that  he  was 
ready  in  time,  and  to  accompany  him.  I  found  him 
buffeting  his  books,  as  upon  a  former  occasion,  ^  cover- 
ed with  dust,  and  making  no  preparation  for  going 
abroad.  "  How  is  this.  Sir  ?  (said  I.)  Don't  you 
recollect  that  you  are  to  dine  at  Mr.  Dilly's  ?"  John- 
son. "  Sir,  I  did  not  think  of  going  to  Dilly's  :  it  went 
out  of  my  head.  1  have  ordered  dinner  at  home  with 
Mrs.  Williams."  Boswell.  "  But,  my  dear  Sir,  you 
know  you  were  engaged  to  Mr.  Dilly,  and  1  told  him  . 
so.     He    will  expect  you,    and  will  be  much  disap- 

=  See  pag^  283  of  this  volume 

VOL.  ir.  49 


330  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  pointed  if  you  don't  come."    Johnson.  "You  must 
talk  to  Mrs.  Williams  about  this." 

Here  was  a  sad  dilemma.  1  feared  that  what  I  was  so 
confident  1  had  secured,  would  yet  be  frustrated.  He 
had  accustomed  himself  to  shew  Mrs.  Williams  such  a 
degree  of  humane  attention,  as  frequently  imposed 
some  restraint  upon  him  ;  and  I  knew  that  if  she 
should  be  obstinate,  he  woidd  not  stir.  I  hastened 
down  stairs  to  the  blind  lady's  room,  and  told  her  I 
was  in  great  uneasiness,  for  Dr.  Johnson  had  engaged 
to  me  to  dine  this  day  at  Mr.  Dilly's,  but  that  he  had 
told  me  he  had  forgotten  his  engagement,  and  had  or- 
dered dinner  at  home.  "  Yes,  Sir,  (said  she,  pretty 
peevishly,)  Dr.  Johnson  is  to  dine  at  home." — "  Mad- 
am, (said  i,)  his  respect  for  you  is  such,  that  I  know- 
he  will  not  leave  you,  unless  you  absolutely  desire  it. 
But  as  you  have  so  much  of  his  company,  1  hope  you 
will  be  good  enough  to  forego  it  for  a  day  ;  as  Mr. 
Dilly  is  a  very  worthy  man,  has  frequently  had  agreea- 
ble parties  at  his  house  for  Dr.  Johnson,  and  will  be 
vexed  if  the  Doctor  neglects  him  to-day.  And  then, 
Madam,  be  pleased  to  consider  my  situation  ;  I  carried 
the  message,  and  I  assured  Mr.  Dilly  that  Dr.  John- 
son was  to  come  ;  and  no  doubt  he  has  made  a  dinner, 
and  invited  a  company,  and  boasted  of  the  honour  he 
expected  to  have.  1  shall  be  quite  disgraced  if  the 
Doctor  is  not  there."  She  gradually  softened  to  my 
solicitations,  which  were  certainly  as  earnest  as  most 
entreaties  to  ladies  upon  any  occasion,  and  was  gra- 
ciously pleased  to  empower  me  to  tell  Dr.  Johnson, 
"  That  all  things  considered,  she  thought  he  should 
Certainly  go."  1  flew  back  to  him,  still  in  dust,  and 
careless  of  what  should  be  the  event,  "  indifferent  in 
his  choice  to  go  or  stay  ;"  but  as  soon  as  1  had  an- 
nounced to  him  Mrs.  Williams's  consent,  he  roared, 
•'  Frank,  a  clean  shirt,"  and  was  very  soon  drest. 
When  I  had  him  fairly  seated  in  a  hackney-coach  with 
me,  1  exulted  as  much  as  a  fortune-hunter  who  has  got 
an  heiress  into  a  post-chaise  with  him  to  set  out  for 
Gretna-Green. 


I 


DR.    JOHNSON.  3:31 

When  we  entered  Mr.  Dilly's  drawing*  room,  lie  1776- 
found  himself  in  the  midst  of  a  company  he  did  not  ^j^ 
know.  1  ko|)t  myself  snug  and  silent,  watching  how  (>7. 
he  would  conduct  himself  1  observed  him  whispering 
to  Mr.  Dilly,  ''  Who  is  that  gentleman,  Sir!" — "  Mr. 
Arthur  Lee." — Johnson.  "  Too,  too,  too,"  (under  his 
breath,)  which  was  one  of  his  habitual  mutterings. 
Mr.  Arthur  Lee  could  not  but  be  very  obnoxious  to 
Johnson,  for  he  was  not  only  a  patriot  but  an  Anicricau. 
Fie  was  afterwards  minister  from  the  United  States  at 
the  court  of  Madrid.  "  And  who  is  the  gentleman  in 
lace? — "  Mr.  Wilkes,  Sir."  This  information  confound- 
ed him  still  more  ;  he  had  some  dilticulty  to  restrain 
himself,  and  taking  up  a  book,  sat  down  upon  a  win- 
dow-seat and  read,  or  at  least  kept  his  eye  upon  it  in- 
tently for  some  time,  till  he  composed  himself.  His 
feelings,  I  dare  say,  were  auk  ward  enough.  But  he 
no  doubt  recollected  his  having  rated  me  for  supposing 
that  he  could  be  at  all  disconcerted  by  any  company, 
and  he,  therefore,  resolutely  set  himself  to  behave  quite 
as  an  easy  man  of  the  world,  who  could  adapt  himself 
at  once  to  the  disposition  and  manners  of  those  whom 
he  might  chance  to  meet. 

The  cheering  sound  of  "  Dinner  is  upon  the  table," 
dissolved  his  reverie,  and  we  all  sat  down  without  any 
symptom  of  ill  humour.  There  were  present,  beside 
Mr.  Wilkes,  and  Mr.  Arthur  Lee,  who  was  an  old 
companion  of  mine  when  he  studied  physick  at  Edin- 
burgh, Mr.  (now  Sir  John)  Miller,  Dr.  Lettsom,  and 
Mr.  Slater  the  druggist.  Mr.  Wilkes  placed  himself 
next  to  Dr.  Johnson,  and  behaved  to  him  with  so  much 
attention  and  politeness,  that  he  gained  upon  him  in- 
sensibly. No  man  eat  more  heartily  than  Johnson,  or 
loved  better  what  was  nice  and  delicate.  Mr.  Wilkes 
was  very  assiduous  in  helping  him  to  some  fine  veal. 
"  Pray  give  me  leave.  Sir ; — It  is  better  here — A  little 
of  the  brown — Some  fat,  Sir — A  little  of  the  stuffing — 
Some  gravy — Let  me  have  the  pleasure  of  giving  you 
some  butter — Allow  me  to  recommend  a  squeeze  of 
this  orange  ; — or  the  lemon,  perhaps,  may  have  more 
^est," — "Sir;    Sir,  I  am   obliged   to  you,  Sir,"  cried 


332  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  Johnson,  bowing,  and  turning  his  head  to  him  with  a 
^^  look  for  some  time  of  "  surly  virtue,"*  but,  in  a  short 
67.    while,  of  complacency. 

Foote  being  mentioned,  Johnson  said,  "  He  is  not  a 
good  mimick."  One  of  the  company  added,  "  A  mer- 
ry Andrew,  a  buffoon."  Johnson.  "  But  he  has  wit 
too,  and  is  not  deficient  in  ideas,  or  in  fertility  and  va- 
riety of  imagery,  and  not  empty  of  reading ;  he  has 
knowledge  enough  to  fill  up  his  part.  One  species  of 
wit  he  has  in  an  eminent  degree,  that  of  escape.  You 
drive  him  into  a  corner  with  both  hands  ;  but  he's  gone, 
Sir,  when  you  think  you  have  got  him — like  an  animal 
that  jumps  over  your  head.  Then  he  has  a  great  range 
for  wit ;  he  never  lets  truth  stand  between  him  and  a 
jest,  and  he  is  sometimes  mighty  coarse.  Garrick  is 
under  many  restraints  from  which  Foote  is  free." 
Wilkes.  "  Garrick's  wit  is  more  like  Lord  Chester- 
field's." Johnson.  "  The  first  time  I  was  in  company 
with  Foote  was  at  Fitzherbert's.  Having  no  good  opin- 
ion of  the  fellow,  I  was  resolved  not  to  be  pleased  ;  and 
it  is  very  difficult  to  please  a  man  against  his  will.  I 
went  on  eating  my  dinner  pretty  sullenly,  affecting  not 
to  mind  him.  But  the  dog  was  so  very  comical,  that  I 
was  obliged  to  lay  down  my  knife  and  fork,  throw  my- 
self back  upon  my  chair,  and  fairly  laugh  it  out.  No, 
Sir,  he  was  irresistible.  ^  He  upon  one  occasion  expe- 
rienced, in  an  extraordinary  degree,  the  efficacy  of  his 
powers  of  entertaining.  Amongst  the  many  and  va- 
rious modes  which  he  tried  of  getting  money,  he  be- 
came a  partner  with  a  small-beer  brewer,  and  he  was  to 
have  a  share  of  the  profits  for  procuring  customers 
amongst  his  numerous  acquaintance.  Fitzherbert  was 
one  who  took  his  small-beer ;  but  it  was  so  bad  that 
the  servants  resolved  not  to  drink  it.  They  were  at 
some  loss  how  to  notify  their  resolution,  being  afraid  of 
offending  their  master,  who  they  knew  liked  Foote 
much  as  a  companion.  At  last  they  fixed  upon  a  little 
black  boy,  who  was  rather  a  favourite,  to  be  their  dep- 

''  Johnson's  "  London,  a  Poem,"  v.  145. 

^  Foote  told  me,  that  Johnson  said  of  him  "  For  loud  obstreperous  broad-faced 
nurth,  I  know  not  his  equal" 


DR.    JOHNSON.  iJ3J 

uty,  and  deliver  their  remonstrance;  and  having  in- '77^- 
vested  him  with  the  whole  authority  of  the  kitchen,  he  j^'^ 
was  to  inform  Mr.  Fitzherbert,  i[i  all  their  names,  upon    ^7. 
a  certain  day,  that  they  would  drink  Footc's  small-beer 
no  longer.     On  that  day  Foote  happened   to  dine  at 
Fitzherbert's,  and  this  boy  served  at  table  ;  he  was  so 
delighted   with   Footers  stories,   and    merriment,   and 
grimace,  that  when  he  went  down  stairs,  he  told  them, 
''  This  is  the  finest  man  1  have  ever  seen.     I  will  not 
deliver  your  message.     1  will  drink  his  small-beer." 

Somebody  observed  that  Garrick  could  not  have  done 
this.  Wilkes.  "  Garrick  would  have  made  the  small- 
beer  still  smaller.  He  is  now  leaving  the  stage ;  but 
he  will  play  Sc}'nb  all  his  life."  1  knew  that  Johnson 
would  let  nobody  attack  Garrick  but  himself,  as  Garrick 
said  to  me,  and  1  had  heard  him  praise  his  liberality ; 
so  to  bring  out  his  commendation  of  his  celebrated  pu- 
pil, I  said,  loudly,  "  1  have  heard  Garrick  is  liberal." 
.loHNSON.  "  Yes,  Sir,  I  know  that  Garrick  has  given 
away  more  money  than  any  man  in  England  that  I  am 
acquainted  with,  and  that  not  from  ostentatious  views. 
Garrick  was  very  poor  when  he  began  life  ;  so  when  he 
came  to  have  money,  he  probably  was  very  unskilful 
in  giving  away,  and  saved  wdien  he  should  not.  But 
Garrick  began  to  be  liberal  as  soon  as  he  could  ;  and  1 
am  of  opinion,  the  reputation  of  avarice  which  he  has 
had,  has  been  very  lucky  for  him,  and  prevented  his 
having  many  enemies.  You  despise  a  man  for  avarice, 
but  do  not  hate  him.  Garrick  might  have  been  much 
better  attacked  for  living  with  more  splendour  than  is 
suitable  to  a  player:  if  they  had  had  the  wit  to  have 
assaulted  him  in  that  quarter,  they  might  have  galled 
Jiim  more.  But  they  have  kept  clamouring  about  his 
avarice,  which  has  rescued  him  from  much  obloquy  and 
envy." 

Talking  of  the  great  difficulty  of  obtaining  au- 
thentick  information  for  biography,  Johnson  told  us, . 
■'  When  1  was  a  young  fellow  I  wanted  to  write  the 
•  Life  of  Dryden,^  and  in  order  to  get  materials,  1  ap- 
plied to  the  only  two  persons  then  alive  who  had  seen 
liim  :  these  were  old  Swinney,  and  old  Gibber.    Swin- 


.3.34  THE    LIFE    OP 

^776.  ney's  information  was  no  more  than  this,  '  That  at 
Sat^  WilPs  coffee-house  Dryden  had  a  particular  chair  for 
67,  himself,  which  was  set  by  the  fire  in  winter,  and  was 
then  called  his  winter-chair  ;  and  that  it  was  carried 
out  for  him  to  the  balcony  in  summer,  and  was  then 
called  his  summer-chair/  Gibber  could  tell  no  more 
but  '  That  he  remembered  him  a  decent  old  man, 
arbiter  of  critical  disputes  at  Will's/  You  are  to  con- 
sider that  Gibber  was  then  at  a  great  distance  from 
Dryden,  had  perhaps  one  leg  only  in  the  room,  and 
durst  not  draw  in  the  other."  Boswell.  "  Yet  Gib- 
ber was  a  man  of  observation  ?"  Johnson.  "  1  think 
not."  Boswell.  "  You  will  allow  his  '  Apology^  to 
be  well  done."  Johnson.  "  Very  well  done,  to  be 
sure,  Sir.  That  book  is  a  striking  proof  of  the  justice 
of  Pope's  remark  : 

"  Each  might  his  several  province  well  command, 
"  Would  all  but  stoop  to  what  they  understand." 

Boswell.  "  And  his  plays  are  good."  Johnson. 
"  Yes  ;  but  that  was  his  trade  ;  Vesprit  dii  corps  ;  he 
had  been  all  his  life  among  players  and  play-writers. 
I  wondered  that  he  had  so  little  to  say  in  conversation, 
for  he  had  kept  the  best  company,  and  learnt  all  that 
can  be  got  by  the  ear.  He  abused  Pindar  to  me,  and 
then  shewed  me  an  ode  of  his  own,  with  an  absurd 
couplet,  making  a  linnet  soar  on  an  eagle's  wing.^  I 
told  him  that  when  the  ancients  made  a  similie,  they 
always  made  it  like  something  real." 

Mr.  Wilkes  remarked,  that  "  among  all  the  bold 
flights  of  Shakspeare's  imagination,  the  boldest  was 
making  Birnam-wood  march  to  Dunsinane  ;  creating  a 
wood  where  there  never  was  a  shrub ;  a  wood  in  Scot- 
land !  ha  I  ha  !  ha  !"  And  he  also  observed,  that 
"  the  clannish  slavery  of  the  Highlands  of  Scotland 
was  the  single  exception  to  Milton's  remark  of  '  The 
Mountain  Nymph,  sweet  Liberty,'  being  worshipped 
in  all  hilly  countries." — "  When  I  was  at  Inverary 
(said  he,)  on  a  visit  to  my  old  friend,  Archibald,  Duke 

»  See  page  316  of  Vol.  I. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  330 

of  Argyle,  his  dependents  congratulated  inc  on  bring  '77fi. 
such  a  tavourite  of  his  Grace.     1   said,  '  It   is   then,  ^J^ 
gentlemen,  truly  lucky  for  me  ;  for  if  1  had  displeasc'd    (17. 
the  Duke,  and  he  had  wished  it,  there  is  not  a  Camp- 
bell  among  you  but  would  have  been   ready  to  bring 
John   Wilkes's  head   to  him  in   a  charger.     It  would 
have  been  only 

*  Off  with  his  head  !  So  much  for  Aijlesbury.^ 

I  was  then  member  for  Aylesbury." 

Dr.  Johnson  and  Mr.  Wilkes  talked  of  the  contest- 
ed passage  in  Horace's  Art  of  I'oetry,  "  D'lf/icile  est 
proprit!  communia  dicere"  Mr.  Wilkes,  according  to 
my  note,  gave  the  interpretation  thus  :  "  It  is  difficult 
to  speak  with  propriety  of  common  things  ;  as,  if  a 
poet  had  to  speak  of  Queen  Caroline  drinking  tea,  he 
must  endeavour  to  avoid  the  vulgarity'  of  cups  and  sau- 
cers." But  upon  reading  my  note,  he  tells  me  that 
he  meant  to  say,  that  "  the  word  communia  being  a 
Roman  law-term,  signifies  here  things  communis  juris^ 
that  is  to  say,  what  have  never  yet  been  treated  by  any 
body  ;  and  this  appears  clearly  from  what  followed, 

•Tuqice 


'  Recfius  Iliacum  carmen  deducis  in  actus 
•   Qudin  si  proferres  ignota  indictaque  primus.' 

You  will  easier  make  a  tragedy  out  of  the  Iliad  than 
on  any  subject  not  handled  before."'     Johnson.  "  He 

'  My  very  pleasant  friend  himself,  as  well  as  others  •who  remember  old  stories,  will 
no  doubt  be  surprised,  when  I  observe  that  yolni  Wilkes  here  shews  himself  to  be 
of  the  Warburtonian  School.  It  is  nevertheless  true,  as  appears  from  Dr.  Hurd 
the  Bishop  of  Worcester's  very  elegant  commentary  and  notes  on  the  "  Epistola  ad 
Piscnes. 

It  is  necessary  to  a  fair  consideration  of  the  question,  that  the  whole  passage  in 
which  the  words  occur  should  be  kept  in  view : 

"  Si  quid  inexpertum  sceine  committis,  et  audes 

"  Personam  former  e  novam,  servetur  adimum 

"  Glial  is  ah  incepto  proccsserit,  et  sibi  const  et. 

"  Difficile  est  proprie  communia  dicere  :   tuque 

"  Rectiui  Iliacum  carmen  deducis  in  actus, 

"  Quam  si  proferres  ignota  indictaque  primus. 

"  Publica  materies  privali  juris  erit,  si 

"  A'c//  circa  iiilem  patulumque  moraberis  orbem, 

"  iVt;  -verbuni  verba  curabis  rcddere  Jidus 

"  Interpres ;   nee  desilies  imitator  in  artum 

"  Und:  pedtm  proferre  piidor  vitat  aut  operis  lex." 


3:36  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  means  that  it  is  difficult  to  appropriate  to  particular 
>Sat!  persons  qualities   which  are  common  to  all  mankind, 
()7.    as  Homer  has  done/^ 

The  "  Commentary"  thus  illustrates  it  :  "  But  the  formation  of  quite  nnu  charac- 
ters in  a  work  of  great  difficulty  and  hazard.  For  here  there  is  no  generally  re- 
ceived and  fixed  archetype  to  work  after,  but  every  one  judges  of  conrmon  right,  ac- 
cording to  the  extent  and  comprehension  of  his  own  idea  ;  therefore  he  advises  to 
labour  and  refit  old  characters  and  subjects,  particularly  those  made  known  and  au- 
thorized by  the  practice  of  Homer  and  the  Epic  writers." 

The  "  Note"  is 

"  Dijjicile  EST  PRopRiE  coMMUNiA  DicERE."  Lambin's  Comment  is  "  Communia 
hoc  loco  appdlat  Horatius  argumenta  fabularum  a  nulla  adhuc  Iractata  :  et  ifa,  que  cuiws 
exposita  sunt  ct  in  medio  quadammodo  posita,  quasi  "vacua  et  a  nemine  occupata^^  And 
that  this  is  the  true  meaning  of  communia  is  evidently  fixed  by  the  words  ignota  in- 
dictaque,  which  are  explanatory  of  it  ;  so  that  the  sense  given  it  in  the  commentary, 
is  unquestionably  the  right  one.  Yet,  notwithstanding  the  clearness  of  the  case,  a 
'ate  critick  has  this  strange  passage  :  "  Diffcik  quidem  esse  proprii  communia  dicere, 
hoc  est,  fnatcriam  njulgarem,  notam  ct  e  medio  peiitam,  ita  immutare  atque  exornare,  ut  110- 
•vd  et  scriptori  propria  mdeatiir,  ultra  conccdimus  ;  et  maximi  procul  duhio  ponderis  ista  est 
obscrvatio.  Sed  omnibus  utrinque  collatis,  et  turn  dijjicilis  turn  -vcnusti,  tam  judicii  quam 
I'ly^nii  ratione  habita,  major  videtur  esse  gloria  fabuiam  formare  penitus  no-vam,  quam  -jc 
t;rcm,  ntcunque  mutatam,  de  novo  exhibere^  (Poet.  Prjel.  V.  ii.  p.  164.)  Where  having 
first  put  a  wrong  construction  on  the  woi^d  communia,  he  employs  it  to  introduce 
an  impertinent  criticism.  For  where  does  the  poet  prefer  the  glory  of  refitting 
old  subiects  to  that  of  inventing  new  ones  ?  The  contrary  is  implied  in  what  he 
urges  about  the  superiour  difficulty  of  the  latter,  from  which  he  dissuades  his  coun- 
trymen, only  in  respect  of  their  abilities  and  inexperience  in  these  matters ;  and  in 
order  te  cultivate  in  them,  which  is  the  main  view  of  the  Epistle,  a  spirit  of  cor- 
rectness, by  sending  them  to  the  old  subjects,  treated  by  the  Greek  writers." 

For  my  own  part  (with  all  deference  for  Dr.  Hurd,  who  thinks  the  case  clear^  I 
consider  the  passage,  "  Diffcile  est  proprii  communia  dicere"  to  be  a  crux  for  the  crit- 
icks  on  Horace. 

The  explication  which  My  Lord  of  Worcester  treats  with  so  much  contempt, 
is  nevertheless  countenanced  by  authority  which  I  find  quoted  by  the  learned  Bax- 
ter in  his  edition  of  Horace,  "  Diffcile  est  proprii  communia  dicere,  h,  e.  res  vulgares 
disertis  verbis  enarrare,  vel  humile  thema  cum  dignitate  tractare.  DiJJicile  est  com- 
munes res  propriis  explicare  -verbis.  Vet,  Schol."  I  was  much  disappointed  to  find 
that  the  great  critick.  Dr.  Bentley,  has  no  note  upon  this  very  difficult  passage,  as 
from  his  vigorous  and  illuminate  mind  I  should  have  expected  to  receive  more 
satisfaction  than  I  have  yet  had. 

Sanadon  thus  treats  of  it.  "  Proprii  communia  dicere  ;  cest  a  dire,  quil  n  est  pas  aisi 
dc  former  a  ces  personnages  d^ imagination,  des  caracteres  particuliers  et  cependant  "vraisem- 
blahles.  Comme  Von  a  etc  le  maitrc  de  les  former  ids  quon  a  -voulu,  les  fautes  que  I  on  fail 
en  ccla  sont  mains  pardonnables.  Cest  pourquoi  Horace  conseille  de  prendre  toujaurs  d:s 
sujets  conniis  tels  que  sont  par  exemple  ceux  que  fon  peut  tirer  des  poemes  d'  Homere, 

And  Dacier  observes  upon  it,  Apres  avoir  marque  les  deux  qualites  quil  faut  doniier 
avx  personnages  qu^on  ir,vente,  il  conseille  aux  Poetes  tragiques,  de  n  user  pas  tropf:cilement 
de  cette  liberie  quils  ont  d^cn  inventer,  car  il  est  trcs  diddle  de  reussir  dans  ces  nouveaux  car- 
acteres. II  est  malaise, dit  Horace,  de  traiter  proprement,  cest  a  dire  convenablement 
des  sujets  COmmuns  ;  c^est  a  dire,  des  sujets  in-jentes,  et  qui  nont  aucun  fondement  ni  dans 
V  Histoire  ni  dans  la  Fable  ;  et  il  les  appelle  C0mmuns,^^Mt<T  quils  sont  en  disposition  a  tout  L 
rnonde,  et  que  lout  Ic  monde  a  Is  droit  de  les  inventer,  et  quails  sont,  comme  on  dit,  au  prcir.n 
(:ccupa;:t."     See  his  observations  at  large  on  this  expression  and  the  following. 

After  all,  I  cannot  lielp  entertaining  some  doubt  whether  the  words,  Difji.ih  d 
projirii  cr.trmunia  dicere,  may  not  have  been  thrown  in  by  Horace  to  form  a  s.pjra'.t 
••'••• -'.^  ill  -A  ''■  chriirr-  of  diffifjiltic-"  ^vhich  a  poet  'vts  -,>  encounter,  wlio  rhooics  a 


DR.    JOHNSON.  337 

Wilkes.  "  We  have  no  City- Poet  now  :  that  is  nn  >776. 
office  which  has  gone  into  disuse.     The  last  was  Klka-  ^^^^ 
nah   Settle.     There  is  somethins^  in  names  which  one   07. 
cannot  help  teehng.     Now  Klkunah  Settle^  sounds  so 
queei\  who  can   expect  much   from  that  name  ?   We 
should  have  no  hesitation  to  give   it  for  John  Dryden, 
in  preference  to  Elkanah  Settle,  from  the  names  only, 
without  knowing  their  different  merits."     Johnson. 
"  I  suppose,  Sir,  Settle  did  as  well  for  Aldermen  in 
his  time,  as  John   Jtlome  could  do  now.     Where  did 
Beckford  and  Trecothick  learn  Enc;lish  !" 

Mr.  Arthur  Lee  mentioned  some  Scotch  who  had 
taken  possession  of  a  barren  part  of  America,  and  won- 
dered why  they  should  choose  it.  Johnson.  "  Why, 
Sir,  all  barrenness  is  comparative.  The  Scotch  would 
not  know  it  to  be  barren."  Boswell.  "  Come,  come, 
he  is  flattering  the  English.  You  have  now  been  in 
Scotland,  Sir,  and  say  if  you  did  not  see  meat  and 
drink  enough  there."  Johnson.  "  Why  yes,  Sir  ; 
meat  and  drink  enough  to  give  the  inhabitants  suffi- 
cient strength  to  run  away  from  home."  All  these 
quick  and  lively  sallies  were  said  sportively,  quite  in 
jest,  and  with  a  smile,  which  showed  that  he  meant 
only  wit.  Upon  this  topick  he  and  Mr.  Wilkes  could 
perfectly  assimilate  ;  here  was  a  bond  of  union  be- 
tween them,  and  I  was  conscious  that  as  both  of  them 
had  visited  Caledonia,  both  were  fully  satisfied  of  the 
strange  narrow  ignorance  of  those  who  imagine  that  it 
is  a  land  of  famine.  But  they  amused  themselves  with 
persevering  in  the  old  jokes.  When  1  claimed  a  supe- 
riority for  Scotland  over  England  in  one  respect,  tliat 
no  man  can  be  arrested  there  for  a  debt  merely  because 

new  subject ;  in  which  case  it  must  be  uncertain  wliich  of  tlie  various  explanations 
is  the  true  one,  and  every  reader  has  a  right  to  decide  as  it  may  strike  his  own 
fancy.  And  even  should  the  words  be  understood  as  they  generally  arc,  to  be  con- 
nected both  with  what  goes  before  and  what  comes  after,  the  exact  sense  cannot 
be  absolutely  ascertained  ;  for  instance,  whether  propric  is  meant  to  signify  in  an 
apprapr'iatid  manner^  as  Dr.  Johnson  here  understands  it,  or,  as  it  is  often  used  by. 
Cicero,  tvitb  propriety^  or  elegantly.  In  short,  it  is  a  rare  instance  of  a  defect  in  per- 
spicuity in  an  admirable  writer,  who  with  almost  every  species  of  excellence,  is  pe- 
culiarly remarkable  for  that  quality.  The  length  of  this  note  perhaps  requires  an 
apology.  Many  of  my  readers,  I  doubt  not,  will  admit  that  a  critical  discussion 
of  a  passage  in  a  favourite  classick  is  very  engaging. 

VOL.    II.  4 '3 


^3S  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  another  swears  it  against  him  ;  but  there  must  first  be 
.EtaT  ^^^  judgement  of  a  court  of  law  ascertaining  its  justice  ; 
6'7.  and  that  a  seizure  of  the  person,  before  judgement  is 
obtained,  can  take  place  only,  if  his  creditor  should 
swear  that  he  is  about  to  fly  from  the  country,  or,  as 
it  is  technically  expressed,  is  in  meditatione  fugce  : 
Wilkes.  "  That,  I  should  think,  may  be  safely  sworn 
of  all  the  Scotch  nation/'  Johnson,  (to  Mr.  Wilkes) 
"  You  must  know,  Sir,  I  lately  took  my  friend  Bos- 
well  and  shewed  him  genuine  civilized  life  in  an  En- 
glish provincial  town.  I  turned  him  loose  at  Lichfield, 
my  native  city,  that  he  might  see  for  once  real  civility : 
for  you  know  he  lives  among  savages  in  Scotland,  and 
among  rakes  in  London."  Wilkes.  "  Except  when 
he  is  with  grave,  sober,  decent  people,  like  you  and 
me."  Johnson,  (smiling)  "  And  we  ashamed  of  him." 
They  were  quite  frank  and  easy.  Johnson  told  the 
story  of  his  asking  Mrs.  Macaulay  to  allow  her  foot- 
man to  sit  down  with  them,  to  prove  the  ridiculousness 
of  the  argument  for  the  equality  of  mankind ;  and  he 
said  to  me  afterwards,  with  a  nod  of  satisfaction,  "  You 
saw  Mr.  Wilkes  acquiesced."  Wilkes  talked  with  all 
imaginable  freedom  of  the  ludicrous  title  given  to  the 
Attorney-General,  Diabolus  Regis  ;  adding,  "  I  have 
reason  to  know  something  about  that  officer  ;  for  I 
was  prosecuted  for  a  libel."  Johnson,  who  many 
people  would  have  supposed  must  have  been  furiously 
angry  at  hearing  this  talked  of  so  hghtly,  said  not  a  word. 
He  was  now,  indeed^  "  a  good-humoured  fellow." 

After  dinner  we  had  an  accession  of  Mrs.  Knowles, 
the  Quaker  lady,  well  known  for  her  various  talents, 
and  of  Mr.  Alderman  Lee.  Amidst  some  patriotick 
groans,  somebody,  (I  think  the  Alderman)  said,  "  Poor 
old  England  is  lost."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  it  is  not  so 
much  to  be  lamented  that  Old  England  is  lost,  as  that 
the  Scotch  have  found  it."^  Wilkes.  "  Had  Lord 
Bute  governed  Scotland  only,  I  should  not  have  taken 
tlie  trouble  to  write  his  eulogy,  and  dedicate  '  Mor- 
timer' to  him." 

"  It  would  not  become  me  to  expatiate  on  this  strong  and  pointed  remark,  in 
which  a  very  great  deal  of  meaning  is  condensed. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  339 

Mr.  Wilkes  held  a  candle  to  shew  a  fine  print  of  a  '77*>. 
beautiful   female  figure  which  hung  in  the  room,  and  jr,J7. 
pointed  out  tiie  elegant  contour  of  the  bosom  with  tlu^   07. 
finger  of  an  arch  connoisseur.     He  afterwards  in  a  con- 
versation with  me  waggishly  insisted,  that  all  the  time 
Johnson  shewed  visible  signs  of  a  fervent  admiration  of 
the  corresponding  charms  of  the  fair  Quaker. 

This  record,  though  by  no  means  so  perfect  as  I 
could  wish,  will  serve  to  give  a  notion  of  a  very  cu- 
rious interview,  which  was  not  only  pleasing  at  the 
time,  but  had  the  agreeable  and  benignant  efibct  of 
reconciling  any  animosity,  and  sweetening  any  acidity, 
which  in  the  various  bustle  of  political  contest,  had 
been  produced  in  the  minds  of  two  men,  who  though 
widely  different,  had  so  many  things  in  common — 
classical  learning,  modern  literature,  wit  and  humour, 
and  ready  repartee — that  it  would  have  been  much  to 
be  regretted  if  they  had  been  for  ever  at  a  distance 
from  each  other. 

Mr.  Burke  gave  me  much  credit  for  this  successful 
negociat'ion  ;  and  pleasantly  said,  "  that  there  Avas  noth- 
ing equal  to  it  in  the  whole  history  of  the  Corps  Di- 
plomatique." 

1  attended  Dr.  Johnson  home,  and  had  the  satisfac- 
tion to  hear  him  tell  Mrs.  Williams  how  much  he  had 
been  pleased  with  Mr.  Wilkes's  company,  and  what  an 
agreeable  day  he  had  passed. 

I  talked  a  good  deal  to  him  of  the  celebrated  Mar- 
garet Caroline  Rudd,  whom  1  had  visited,  induced  by 
the  fame  of  her  talents,  address,  and  irresistible  power 
of  fascination.  To  a  lady  who  disapproved  of  my  vis-  ' 
iting  her,  he  said  on  a  former  occasion,  "  Nay,  Mad- 
am, Boswell  is  in  the  right  ;  1  should  have  visited  her 
myself,  were  it  not  that  they  have  now  a  trick  of  put- 
ting every  thing  into  the  news-papers."  This  evening 
he  exclaimed,  "  I  envy  him  his  acquaintance  with 
Mrs.  Rudd." 

I  mentioned  a  scheme  which  I  had  of  making  a  tour 
to  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  j>iving  a  full  account  of  it ;  and 
that  Mr.  Burke  had  playfully  suggested  as  a  motto, 

"  The  proper  study  of  mankind  is  Man." 


340  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  you  will  get  more  by  the  book  than 
Sat!  ^^^^  jaunt  will  cost  you  ;  so  you  will  have  your  diversion 
67.    for  nothing,  and  add  to  your  reputation." 

On  the  evening  of  the  next  day  1  took  leave  of  him, 
being  to  set  out  for  Scotland.  1  thanked  him  with  great 
warmth  for  all  his  kindness.  "  Sir,  (said  he,)  you  are 
very  welcome.     Nobody  repays  it  with  more." 

How  very  false  is  the  notion  that  has  gone  round  the 
world  of  the  rough,  and  passionate,  and  harsh  manners 
of  this  great  and  good  man.  That  he  had  occasional 
sallies  of  heat  of  temper,  and  that  he  was  sometimes, 
perhaps,  too  "  easily  provoked"  by  absurdity  and  folly, 
and  sometimes  too  desirous  of  triumph  in  colloquial 
contest,  must  be  allowed.  The  quickness  both  of  his 
perception  and  sensibility  disposed  him  to  sudden  ex- 
plosions of  satire  ;  to  which  his  extraordinary  readiness 
of  wit  was  a  strong  and  almost  irresistible  incitement. 
To  adopt  one  of  the  finest  images  in  Mr.  Homers 
"  Douglas," 

" On  each  glance  of  thought 

"  Decision  followed,  as  the  thunderbolt 
"  Pursues  the  flash  !" 

I  admit  that  the  beadle  within  him  was  often  so  eager 
to  apply  the  lash,  that  the  Judge  had  not  time  to  con- 
sider the  case  with  sufficient  deliberation. 

That  he  was  occasionally  remarkable  for  violence  of 
temper  may  be  granted  :  but  let  us  ascertain  the  degree, 
and  not  let  it  be  supposed  that  he  was  in  a  perpetual 
rage,  and  never  without  a  club  in  his  hand  to  knock 
down  every  one  who  approached  him.  On  the  contra- 
ry, the  truth  is,  that  by  much  the  greatest  part  of  his 
time  he  was  civil,  obliging,  nay,  polite  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  word  ;  so  much  so,  that  many  gentlemen  who 
were  long  acquainted  with  him  never  received,  or  even 
heard  a  strong  expression  from  him. 

The  following  letters  concerning  an  Epitaph  which  he 
wrote  for  the  monument  of  Dr.  Goldsmith,  in  West- 
minster-Abbey, afibrd  at  once  aproof  of  his  unaffected 
modesty,  his  carelessness  as  to  his  own  writings,  and  of 
the  great  respect  which  he  entertained  for  the  taste  and 


DR.    JOHNSON.  341 

judgement  of  the  excellent  and   eminent   person    to  '776. 

whom  they  are  addressed  :  ^tat. 

67.' 
"  TO  SIR  JOSHUA  REYNOLDS. 

"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  been  kept  away  from  you,  I  know  not 
well  how,  and  of  these  vexatious  hindrances  1  know 
not  when  there  will  be  an  end.  I  therefore  send  you 
the  poor  dear  Doctor^s  epitaph.  Read  it  first  yourself; 
and  if  you  then  think  it  right,  show  it  to  the  Club.  I 
am,  you  know,  willing  to  be  corrected.  If  you  think 
any  thing  much  amiss,  keep  it  to  yourself,  till  we  come 
together.  I  have  sent  two  copies,  but  prefer  the  card. 
The  dates  must  be  settled  by  Dr.  Percy.  I  am,  Sir, 
"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  May  16,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

TO  THE  SAME. 

"  SIR, 

"  Miss  Reynolds  has  a  mind  to  send  the  Epi- 
taph to  Dr.  Beattie  :  1  am  very  willing,  but  having  no 
copy,  cannot  immediately  recollect  it.  She  tells  me 
you  have  lost  it.  Try  to  recollect,  and  put  down  as 
much  as  you  retain  ;  you  perhaps  may  have  kept  what 
1  have  dropped.  The  lines  for  which  I  am  at  a  loss  are 
something  of  rerum  civilium  siv}  nafuraUum.^  It  was 
a  sorry  trick  to  lose  it ;  help  me  if  you  can.     I  am.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  June  29,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson.'' 

"  The  gout  grows  better  but  slowly." 

It  was,  I  think,  after  I  had  left  London  in  this  year, 
that  this  Epitaph  gave  occasion  to  a  Remonstrance  to 
the  Monarch  of  Literature,  for  an  account  of 
which  I  am  indebted  to  Sir  William  Forbes,  of  Pitsligo. 

That  my  readers  may  have  the  subject  more  fully  and 
clearly  before  them,  1  shall  first  insert  the  Epitaph. 

'  These  words  muit  have  t<?pn  in  the  other  copv.     They  arc  not  in  that  whirii 
was  preferred. 


342  iiie  life  op 

1776.  "  Olivarii  Goldsmith, 

j^t-^^^  "  Poetce,  Phifsici^  Historici, 

67.  "  Qui  nullum  feri  scribendi  genus 

"  Non  tetigif^ 

"  Nullum  quod  tetigit  non  ornavit  : 

"  Sive  risus  essent  movendi, 

"  Sive  lacrymce, 

"  Affectuum  potens  at  lenis  dominator : 

"  Ingenio  sublimis^  vividus,  versatilis, 

"  Oratione  grandis^  nitidus,  venustus  : 

"  Hoc  monumento  memoriam  coluit 

"  Sodalium  amor^ 

"  Amicorum  Jides, 

"  Lectorum  veneratio, 

"  Natus  in  Hibernid  Fornice  Longfbrdiensis^ 

"  In  loco  cm  no  men  Pal  las  ^ 

'•^  Nov.    XXIX.    MDCCXXXI; 

"  Eblance  Uteris  institutus ; 

"  Obiit  Londini^ 
"  April.  IV,  MDCCLXxiv.' 


yy 


Sir  William  Forbes  writes  to  me  thus  :  "  I  enclose 
the  Round  Robin.  This  jeu  d*esprit  took  its  rise  one 
day  at  dinner  at  our  friend  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds^s.  All 
the  company  present,  except  myself,  were  friends  and 
acquaintance  of  Dr.  Goldsmith.  The  Epitaph,  writ- 
ten for  him  by  Dr.  Johnson,  became  the  subject  of 
conversation,  and  various  emendations  were  suggested, 
which  it  was  agreed  should  be  submitted  to  the  Doctor's 
consideration. — But  the  question  was,  who  should  have 
the  courage  to  propose  them  to  him?  At  last  it  was 
hinted,  that  there  could  be  no  way  so  good  as  that  of  a 
Round  Robin,  as  the  sailor's  call  it,  which  they  make 
use  of  when  they  enter  into  a  conspiracy,  so  as  not  to 
let  it  be  known  who  puis  his  name  first  or  last  to  the 
paper.  This  proposition  was  instantly  assented  to  ;  and 
Dr.  Barnard,  Dean  of  Derry,  now  Bishop  of  Killaloe,  • 

'  [This  prelate,  who  was  afterwards  translated  to  the  See  of  Limerick,  died  at 
Wimbledon  in  Surrey,  June  7,  1806,  in  his  eightieth  year.  The  original  Round 
Robin  remained  in  his  possession  ;  the  paper  wiiich  Sir  William  Forbes  transmitted 
to  Mr.  Boswell,  being  only  a  copy,     M.] 


-1 


UJ^^r/cr^^  <. 


'O^ 


7 If ////    f  //I u J//. K  /y V'fr.t , 


■^ 


^ 


/ ////'////^f/ (///7a/f/?  /r/'///i  .   ///'///////(///  /■'/_/. 
^  f/f'///)///////  ;//•// /i//  (t'/Ai/z/t/rfi  fi/'.i//  fii  //y////./'t///fr/i  /:>  /t>     \ 

rft'/'//  /■/■i)/!// //■///'/// y  /'////<//)■//   f'/  f/.i   //'/r /■//iif    f      //f/Z/^/ 

ff  ///■///■/:  Vu/ /■///// A/ /'///  //■>  n  _^' fff/ ,  /.>.//r//i'/i//,>,   ///>/  ^A// //i  /r/i  ir 

/ffV//  ff// ///r  r.r/fr/////.j   //■///(//  ^  A .    /i>// ^/.if/i'    /,'    (  'ti//rr/'/i      •"/ ^ 

////v//^  f/.    ^^  Ij ('^//f<''(y/f'f<'  .Af^fV/f  f/r/f'ir ///■/' /f  //A >  ■  Af/nrfi>/'    ///yyi 

///////'.  A//  //f/'rYy'^'fVf///-.>f.///Yr/  '//I'  //'fur///rfi:X^/i.>/  //■///  //c V/v///// 

f>/  rr/u)/  ////'//,  (^'  f>/  uufA/^^/^/  ■  A/r//    ^f^u/////>//,)    a ///■/  a////yr//tt//.> 

ri.)    //f    .  j//// /////////•  /Z/i'/f  I/-,  ////f>/f    tt  /tf /■////'/'    //</-//.Jtr  /  :  "''J/// 

fV   fh'    ^/f/^r///    /'/'//////■{'    /f>  /'/ji/f /•fZ.t  i>/i /• '/f /^t//ri  ■     ///r//  //'/'///f/. 

///,////  /f>  /'f   ■>(>  //^f.i////^/  aynyCZ/rfft  A/ft  /f/ . //'///f/f  /rr 
^^ ■  >//j'.     f/i/r    /  fif/Y^/  — 


»  — »- 


1^-  .^.,  ,./.^- 


„/-7/ 


'ffl 


i 


.'''>>:■>'.'>,.  _  /^/,,/„■/  /■'..    '  1 1, //:...,.   (     /„,/, /  _  /..,.,../'  ^M/i. 


^/. 


iiT  ^w;/^/.,/v»j^.  jSo^. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  343 

drew  up  an  address  to  Dr.  Johnson  on  the  occasion,  re-  i776. 
plete  with  wit  and  humour,  but  which  it  was  feared  the  J^^ 
Doctor  might  think  treated  the  subject  with  too  much    g?. 
levity.     Mr.   Burke   then   proposed   the  address  as  it 
stands  in  the  paper  in  writing,  to  which  1  had  the  hon- 
our to  officiate  as  clerk. 

"Sir  Joshua  agreed  to  carry  it  to  Dr.  Johnson,  who 
received  it  with  much  good  humour,^  and  desired  Sir 
Joshua  to  tell  the  gentlemen,  that  he  would  alter  the 
Epitaph  in  any  manner  they  pleased,  as  to  the  sense  of 
it ;  hut  /ie  would  never  consetit  to  disgrace  the  walls  of 
Westminster  Abheij^  ivith  an  English  inscription. 

"  I  consider  this  Round  Robin  as  a  species  of  literary 
curiosity  worth  preserving,  as  it  marks,  in  a  certain  de- 
gree, Dr.  Johnson's  character." 

My  readers  are  presented  with  a  faithful  transcript  of 
a  paper,  which  I  doubt  not  of  their  being  desirous  to  see. 

Sir  William  Forbes's  observation  is  very  just.  The 
anecdote  now  related  proves,  in  the  strongest  manner, 
the  reverence  and  awe  with  which  Johnson  was  regard- 
ed, by  some  of  the  most  eminent  men  of  his  time,  in 
various  departments,  and  even  by  such  of  them  as  lived 

^  He  however,  upon  seeing  Dr.  Warton's  name  to  the  suggestion,  that  the  Epi- 
taph should  be  in  English,  observed  to  Sir  Joshua, "  I  wonder  that  Joe  Warton,  a 
scholar  by  profession,  should  be  such  a  fool."  He  said  too,  "  I  should  have  thought 
Mund  Burke  would  have  had  more  sense."  Mr.  Langton,  who  was  one  of  the 
company  at  Sir  Joshua's,  like  a  sturdy  scholar,  resolutely  refused  to  sign  the  Round 
Robin.  The  Epitaph  is  engraved  upon  Dr.  Goldsmith's  monument  \A'ithout  any 
alteration.  At  another  time,  when  somebody  endeavoured  to  argue  in  favour  of 
its  being  in  English,  Johnson  said,  "  The  language  of  the  country  of  which  a  learn- 
ed man  was  a  native,  is  not  the  language  fit  for  his  epitaph,  which  should  be  in  an- 
cient and  permanent  language.  Consider,  Sir  ;  how  you  should  feel,  were  you  to 
find  at  Rotterdam  an  epitaph  upon  Erasmus  in  Dutch  .'" — For  my  own  part  1  think 
it  would  be  best  to  have  Epitaphs  written  both  in  a  learned  language,  and  in  the 
language  of  the  country ;  so  that  they  might  have  the  advantage  of  being  more 
universally  understood,  and  at  the  same  time  be  secured  of  classical  stability.  I 
cannot,  however,  but  be  of  opinion,  that  it  is  not  sufficientlv  di^criminalive.  Ap- 
plying to  Goldsmith  equally  the  epithets  of  "  Pocta,  Histerici,  Physici"  is  surely  not 
right ;  for  as  to  his  claim  to  the  last  of  those  epithets,  I  have  heard  Johnson  himself 
say,  "  Goldsmith,  Sir,  will  give  us  a  very  fine  book  upon  the  subject  ;  but  if  he  can 
distinguish  a  cow  from  a  horse,  that,  I  believe,  mav  be  the  extent  of  his  knowledge 
of  natural  history."  His  book  is  indeed  an  excellent  performance,  though  in  some 
instances  he  appears  to  have  trusted  too  much  to  Buffon,  who,  with  all  his  theo- 
retical ingenuity  and  extraordinary  eloquence,  I  suspect  had  little  actual  informa- 
tion in  the  science  on  which  he  wrote  so  admirably.  For  instance,  he  tells  us  that 
the  CIV  sheds  her  horns  every  two  years  ;  a  most  palpable  errour,  which  Gold- 
smith has  faithfully  transferred  into  his  booL  It  is  wonderful  that  BulTon,  who 
lived  so  much  in  the  country,  at  his  noble  seat,  should  have  fallen  into  such  a 
blunder.     I  suppose  he  has  confounded  the  co-w  with  the  dctr. 


344  THE    LIFE    OP 

i77f>.  most  with  him ;  while  it  also  confirms  what  I  have 
^^J^  again  and  again  inculcated,  that  he  was  by  no  means 
67.    of  that  ferocious  and  irascible  character  which  has  been 
ignorantly  imagined. 

This  hasty  composition  is  also  to  be  remarked  as  one 
of  the  thousand  instances  which  evince  the  extraordi- 
nary promptitude  of  Mr.  Burke  ;  who  while  he  is  equal 
to  the  greatest  things,  can  adorn  the  least ;  can,  with 
equal  facility,  embrace  the  vast  and  complicated  spec- 
ulations of  politicks,  or  the  ingenious  topicks  of  hterary 
investigation.  ^ 

"  DR.  JOHNSON  TO  MRS.  BOSWELL. 
"  MADAM, 

"  You  must  not  think  me  uncivil  in  omitting  to 
answer  the  letter  with  which  you  favoured  me  some 
time  ago.  I  imagined  it  to  have  been  written  without 
Mr.  Boswell's  knowledge,  and  therefore  supposed  the 
answer  to  require,  what  1  could  not  find,  a  private  con- 
veyance. 

"  The  difference  with  Lord  Auchinleck  is  now  over ; 
and  since  young  Alexander  has  appeared,  I  hope  no 
more  difficulties  will  arise  among  you  ;  for  I  sincerely 
wish  you  all  happy.  Do  not  teach  the  young  ones  to 
dislike  me,  as  you  dislike  me  yourself;  but  let  me  at 
least  have  Veronica's  kindness,  because  she  is  my  ac- 
quaintance. 

"  You  will  now  have  Mr.  Boswell  home ;  it  is  well 
that  you  have  him  ;  he  has  led  a  wild  fife.  1  have  tak- 
en him  to  Lichfield,  and  he  has  followed  Mr.  Thrale 
to  Bath.  Pray  take  care  of  him,  and  tame  him.  The 
only  thing  in  which  1  have  the  honour  to  agree  with 
you  is,  in  loving  him ;  and  while  we  are  so  much  of  a 
mind  in  a  matter  of  so  much  importance,  our  other 
quarrels,  will,  1  hope,  produce  no  great  bitterness.  I 
am,  Madam, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Maij  16,  1776.  *'  Sam.  Johnson. 


a 


3  Besides  thU  Latin  Epitaph,  Johnson  honoured  the  memory  of  his  friend  Gold- 
smith with  a  short  one  in  GreeL     See  p.  118  of  this  volume. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  845 

*'    MR.   BOSWELL   TO  DR.   JOHNSON.  l]J^' 

"  Edinburgh,  June  2o,  1776.  ^g^^' 
"  You  have  formerly  complained  that  my  letters 
Were  too  long-.  There  is  no  danger  of  that  complaint 
being  made  at  present;  for  1  find  it  difficult  for  me  to 
write  to  you  at  all.  [Here  an  account  of  having  been 
afflicted  with  a  return  of  melancholy  or  bad  spirits.] 

"  The  boxes  of  books*  which  you  sent  to  me  are  ar- 
rived ;  but  1  have  not  yet  examined  the  contents. 

"  I  send  you  Mr.  Maclaurin's  paper  for  the  negro, 
who  claims  his  freedom  in  the  Court  of  Session." 

"  DR.  JOHNSON  TO  MR.  BOSWELL. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  These  black  fits,  of  which  you  complain,  per- 
haps hurt  your  memory  as  well  as  your  imagination. 
When  did  1  complain  that  your  letters  were  too  long?^ 
Your  last  letter,  after  a  very  long  delay,  brought  very 
bad  news.  [Here  a  series  of  reflections  upon  melan- 
choly, and — what  I  could  not  help  thinking  strangely 
unreasonable  in  him  who  had  suffered  so  much  from  it 
himself, — a  good  deal  of  severity  and  reproof,  as  if  it 
were  owing  to  my  own  fault,  or  that  I  was,  perhaps,  af* 
fecting  it  from  a  desire  of  distinction.] 

"  Read  Cheyne's  '  English  Malady ;'  but  do  not  let 
him  teach  you  a  foolish  notion  that  melancholy  is  a 
proof  of  acuteness.     *  *  ♦  *  *^ 

"  To  hear  that  you  have  not  opened  your  boxes  of 
books  is  very  offensive.  The  examination  and  arrange- 
ment of  so  many  volumes  might  have  afforded  you  an 
amusement  very  seasonable  at  present,  and  useful  for 
the  whole  of  life.  I  am,  I  confess,  very  angry  that  you 
manage  yourself  so  ill.  ♦****. 

*  Upon  a  settlement  of  our  account  of  expences  on  a  Tour  to  the  Hebrides,  there 
was  a  balance  due  to  me,  which  Dr.  Johnson  chose  to  discharge  by  sending  books. 

•  Baretti  told  rae  that  Johnson  complained  of  my  writing  very  long  letters  to 
him  when  I  was  upon  the  continent ;  which  was  most  rertaiply  true  ;  but  it  scams 
my  friend  did  not  remember  it. 

VOL.  IT.  4V 


346  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.      "  I  do  not  now  say  any  more,  than  that  1  am,  with 
^^  great  kindness  and  sincerity,  dear  Sir, 
57.  "  Your  humble  servant, 

"  Julij  2,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  It  was  last  year  determined  by  Lord  Mansfield,  in 
the  Court  of  King's  Bench,  that  a  negro  cannot  be  tak- 
en out  of  the  kingdom  without  his  own  consent." 

"  DR.  JOHNSON  TO  MR.  BOSWELL. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  MAKE  haste  to  write  again,  lest  my  last  letter 
should  give  you  too  much  pain.  If  you  are  really  op- 
pressed with  overpowering  and  involuntary  melancholy, 
you  are  to  be  pitied  rather  than  reproached.    *  *  *  *, 

"  Now,  my  dear  Bozzy,  let  us  have  done  with  quar- 
rels and  with  censure.  Let  me  know  whether  I  have 
not  sent  you  a  pretty  library.  There  are,  perhaps,  many 
books  among  them  which  you  never  need  read  through  ; 
but  there  are  none  which  it  is  not  proper  for  you  to 
know,  and  sometimes  to  consult.  Of  these  books,  of 
which  the  use  is  only  occasional,  it  is  often  sufficient  to 
know  the  contents,  that,  when  any  question  arises,  you 
may  know  where  to  look  for  information. 

"  Since  1  wrote,  I  have  looked  over  Mr.  Maclaurin's 
plea,  and  think  it  excellent.  How  is  the  suit  carried 
on  ?  If  by  subscription,  I  commission  you  to  contribute, 
in  my  name,  what  is  proper.  Let  nothing  be  wanting 
in  such  a  case.  Dr.  Drummond,^  I  see,  is  superseded. 
His  father  would  have  grieved  ;  but  he  lived  to  obtain 
the  pleasure  of  his  son's  election,  and  died  before  that 
pleasure  was  abated. 

"  Langton's  lady  has  brought  him  a  girl,  and  both  are 
well;  I  dined  with  him  the  other  day.     *****. 

"  It  vexes  me  to  tell  you,  that  on  the  evening  of  the 
29th  of  May  I  was  seized  by  the  gout,  and  am  not  quite 

'  The  son  of  Johnson's  old  friend,  Mr.  William  Drummond.     (See  Vol.  I.  p.  410.) 

He  was  a  young  man  of  such  distinguished  merit,  that  he  was  nominated  to  one 

of  the  medical   professorships   in  the  College  of  Edinburgh,  without  sohcitation, 

while  he  was  at  Naples.     Having  other  views,  he  did  not  accept  of  the  honour, 

.   and  soon  afterwards  died. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  :J47 

well.     The  pain  lias  not  been  violent,  but  the  weakness  177<>. 
and  tenderness  were  very  troublesome,  and  what  is  said  ^^ 
to  be  very  uncommon,   it  has  not  alleviated  my  other   G7. 
disorders.     Make   use  of  youth  and  health  while   you 
have  tlicui ;  make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.   IJoswell. 
I  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate 
"  Ju///  16,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  MR.  BOSWELL  TO  DR.  JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Edinburgh^  Jidij  18,    1776". 

"  Your  letter  of  the  second  of  this  month  was 
rather  a  harsh  medicine  ;  but  1  was  delighted  with  that 
spontaneous  tenderness,  which,  a  few  days  afterwards, 
sent  forth  such  balsam  as  your  next  brought  me.  I 
found  myself  for  some  time  so  ill  that  all  I  could  do  was 
to  preserve  a  decent  appearance,  while  all  within  was 
Aveakness  and  distress.  Like  a  reduced  garrison  that 
has  some  spirit  left,  I  hung  out  flags,  and  planted  all  the 
force  1  could  muster,  upon  the  walls.  I  am  now  much 
better,  and  1  sincerely  thank  you  for  your  kind  atten- 
tion and  friendly  counsel." 

****** 

"  Count  Manucci^  came  here  last  week  from  travel- 
ling in  Ireland.  1  have  shown  him  what  civilities  I 
could  on  his  own  account,  on  your's,  and  on  that  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale.  He  has  had  a  fall  from  his 
horse,  and  been  much  hurt.  I  regret  this  unlucky  ac- 
cident, for  he  seems  to  be  a  very  amiable  man." 

As  the  evidence  of  what  I  have  mentioned  at  the 
beginning  of  this  year,  1  select  from  his  private  regis- 
ter the  following  passage  : 

"  July  25,  1776.  O  God,  who  hast  ordained  that 
whatever  is  to  be  desired  should  be  sought  by  labour, 
and  who,  by  thy  blessing,  bringest  honest  labour  to 
good  effect,  look  with  mercy  upon  my  studies  and  en- 
deavours.    Grant  me,  O  Lord,  to  design  only  what  is 

'  A  Florentine  noI)leman,  mentioned  by  Johnson,  in  his  "  Notes  of  his  Tour  in 
France."  1  had  the  pleasure  of  becoming  acquainted  with  liim  ia  London,  in  the 
spring  of  this  year. 


3A'S  XHE    LIFE   OF 

1776.  lawful  and  right  ;  and  afford  me  calmness  of  mind,  and 
^^  steadiness  of  purpose,  that  I  may  so  do  thy  will  in  this 
{)7.    short  life,  as  to  obtain  happiness  in  the  world  to  come, 
for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen."^ 

It  appears  from  a  note  subjoined,  that  this  was  com- 
posed when  he  "  purposed  to  apply  vigorously  to  study, 
particularly  of  the  Greek  and  Italian  tongues." 

Such  a  purpose,  so  expressed,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
seven,  is  admirable  and  encouraging  ;  and  it  must  im- 
press all  the  thinking  part  of  my  readers  with  a  consol- 
atory confidence  in  habitual  devotion,  when  they  see  a 
man  of  such  enlarged  intellectual  powers  as  Johnson, 
thus  in  the  genuine  earnestnt-ss  of  secrecy,  imploring 
the  aid  of  that  Supreme  Being,  "  from  whom  cometh 
down  every  good  and  every  perfect  gift." 

"    TO   sip,    JOSHUA    REYNOLDS. 
"  SIR, 

"  A  YOUNG  man,  whose  name  is  Paterson,  offers 
himself  this  evening  to  the  Academy.  He  is  the  son 
of  a  man^  for  whom  I  have  long  hatl  a  kindness,  and 
who  is  now  abroad  in  distress.  I  shall  be  glad  that 
you  will  be  pleased  to  show  him  any  little  countenance, 
or  pay  him  any  small  distinction.  How  much  it  is  in 
your  power  to  favour  or  to  forward  a  young  man  1  do 
not  know  ;  nor  do  I  know  how  much  this  candidate 
deserves  favour  by  his  personal  merit,  or  what  hopes 
his  proficiency  may  now  give  of  future  eminence.  I 
recommend  him  as  the  son  of  my  friend.  Your  char- 
acter and  station  enable  you  to  give  a  young  man  great 
encouragement  by  very  easy  means.  You  have  heard 
of  a  man  who  asked  no  other  favour  of  Sir  Robert 
Walpole,  than  that  he  would  bow  to  him  at  his  levee. 

"  I  am.  Sir, 
"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
'•  Aug,  3,  1776.  ^'  Sam.  Johnson.' 


j> 


=  Prayers  and  Meditations,  p.  151. 

'[Samuel  Paterson,  formerly  a  bookseller,  latterly  an  auctioneer,  and  well 
Ipiown  for  his  skill  in  forming  catalogues  of  books.  He  died  in  London,  Octob«r 
29,  1802.     M.] 


DR.   JOHNSON.  349 

"  MR.   BOSWLLL    TO    1)11.   JOHNSON.  U^ 

"  Edinburgh,  August  30,  177G.      '^^^^• 

[After  giving  liim  an  account  of  my  having  examin- 
ed the  chests  of  books  which  he  had  sent  to  me,  and 
which  contained  wliat  may  be  truly  called  a  numerous 
and  miscellaneous  Stall  Library,  thrown  together  at 
random  : — ] 

"  Lord  Hailes  was  against  the  decree  in  the  case  of 
my  client,  the  minister  ;  not  that  he  justified  the  min- 
ister, but  because  the  parishioner  both  provoked  and 
retorted.  I  sent  his  Lordship  your  able  argument  upon 
the  case  for  his  perusal.  His  observation  upon  it  in  a 
letter  to  me  was,  '  Dr.  Johnson's  Suasorium  is  pleas- 
antly and  artfully  composed.  I  suspect,  however, 
that  he  has  not  convinced  himself  ;  for,  I  believe  that 
he  is  better  read  in  ecclesiastical  history,  than  to  im- 
agine that  a  Bishop  or  a  Presbyter  has  a  right  to  begin 
censure  or  discipline  ^  cathedra.''^ "^ 

"  For  the  honour  of  Count  Manucci,  as  well  as  to 
observe  that  exactness  of  truth  which  you  have  taught 
me,  1  must  correct  what  I  said  in  a  former  letter.  He 
did  not  fall  from  his  horse,  which  might  have  been  an 
imputation  on  his  skill  as  an  officer  of  cavalry  ;  his 
horse  fell  with  him. 

"  I  have,  since  I  saw  you,  read  every  word  of 
'  Granger's  Biographical  History.'  It  has  entertained 
me  exceedingly,  and  I  do  not  think  him  the  Whig 
that  you  supposed.  Horace  Walpole's  being  his  pa- 
tron is,  indeed,  no  good  sign  of  his  political  principles. 
But  he  denied  to  Lord  Mountstuart  that  he  was  a 
Whig,  and  said  he  had  been  accused  by  both  parties  of 
partiality.     It  seems  he  was  like  Pope, 

*  While  Tories  call  me  Whig,  and  Whigs  a  Tory.' 

,    Why  his  Lordship  uses  the  epithet  pleasantly,  when  speaking  of  a  grave  piece 
of  reasoning,  I  cannot  conceive.     But  different  men  have  different  notions  of  picas-  • 
iintry.     I  happened  to  sit  by  a  gentleman  one  evening  at  the  Opera-house  in  Lon- 
don, who  at  the  moment  when  Medea  appeared  to  be  in  great  agony  at  the  thought 
t>f  killing  her  children,  turned  to  me  with  a  smile,  and  said,  ^^ funny  enough." 

^  Dr.  Johnson  afterwards  told  rae,  that  he  was  of  opinion  that  a  clergyman  had 
this  rijrht. 


350  THE    LIFE    OF 

1776.  I  wish  you  would  look  more  into  his  book  ;  and  as 
"^Q^  Lord  Mountstuart  wishes  much  to  find  a  proper  person 
67.  '  to  continue  the  work  upon  Granger's  plan,  and  has  de- 
sired 1  would  mention  it  to  you  ;  if  such  a  man  occurs, 
please  to  let  me  know.     His  Lordship  will  give  him 
generous  encouragement." 

"    TO   MR.   ROBERT    LEVET. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  Having  spent  about  six  weeks  at  this  place, 
we  have  at  length  resolved  upon  returning.  I  expect 
to  see  you  all  in  Fleet-street  on  the  30th  of  this  month. 

"  I  did  not  go  into  the  sea  till  last  Friday,  but  think 
to  go  most  of  this  week,  though  I  know  not  that  it  does 
me  any  good.  My  nights  are  very  restless  and  tire- 
some, but  I  am  otherwise  well. 

"  I  have  written  word  of  my  coming  to  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams. Remember  me  kindly  to  Francis  and  Betsey.^ 
I  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 
^'  Brighthelmstone.,  Oc^.  21,  1776.    "  Sam.  Johnson."* 

I  again  wrote  to  Dr.  Johnson  on  the  91st  of  Octo- 
ber, informing  him,  that  my  father  had,  in  the  most 
liberal  manner,  paid  a  large  debt  for  me,  and  that  I 
had  now  the  happiness  of  being  upon  very  good  terms 
with  him ;  to  which  he  returned  the  following  answer. 


TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,    ESQ. 


"  DEAR  SIR, 


"  I  HAD  great  pleasure  in  hearing  that  you  are  at 
last  on  good  terms  with  your  father.     Cultivate  his 


3  [His  female  servant.     M.] 

''  For  this  and  Dr.  Johnson's  other  letters  to  Mr.  Levet,  I  am  indebted  to  my 
old  acquaintance  Mr.  Nathaniel  Thomas,  whose  worth  and  ingenuity  have  been 
long  known  to  a  respectable  thougli  not  a  wide  circle  ;  and  whose  collection  of 
medals  would  do  credit  to  persons  of  greater  opulence. 

[Mr.  Nathaniel  Thomas,  who  was  many  years  Editor  of  the  St.  James's  Chroni- 
cle, died  March  1,  1795.    M.] 


DR.    JOHKSON.  3o\ 

kindness  by  all  honest  and  manly  means.     Lite  is  but  1770. 
short  ;  no  time  can  be  atforded  but  for  the  indulgence  ^^^^ 
of  real  sorrow,  or   contests  upon   questions  seriously    (j;. 
momentous.     I.t't  us  not  throw  away  any  of  our  days 
upon  useless  resentment,  or  contend  who  shall  hold  out 
longest   in   stubborn  malignity.     It  is  best  not  to  be 
angry  ;  and  best,  in  the  next  place,  to  be  quickly  rec- 
onciled.    May  you  and  your  father  pass  the  remainder 

of  your  time  in  reciprocal  benevolence  ! 

****** 

"  Do  you  ever  hear  from  Mr.  Langton  ?  I  visit  him 
sometimes  but  he  does  not  talk.  1  do  not  like  his 
scheme  of  life  ;  but  as  1  am  not  permitted  to  under- 
stand it,  I  cannot  set  any  thing  right  that  is  wrong. 
His  children  are  sweet  babies. 

"  i  hope  my  irreconcileable  enemy,  Mrs.  Boswell, 
is  well.  Desire  her  not  to  transmit  her  malevolence 
to  the  young  people.  Let  me  have  Alexander,  and 
Veronica,  and  Euphemia,  for  my  friends. 

"  Mrs.  Williams,  whom  you  may  reckon  as  one  of 
your  well-wishers,  is  in  a  feeble  and  languishing  state, 
with  little  hopes  of  growing  better.  She  went  for 
some  part  of  the  autumn  into  the  country,  but  is  little 
benefitted  ;  and  Dr.  Lawrence  confesses  that  his  art  is 
at  an  end.  Death  is,  however,  at  a  distance  :  and 
what  more  than  that  can  we  say  of  ourselves  ?  i  am 
sorry  for  her  pain,  and  more  sorry  for  her  decay.  Mr. 
Levet  is  sound,  wind  and  limb. 

"  I  was  some  weeks  this  autumn  at  Brighthelm- 
stone.  The  place  was  very  dull,  and  1  was  not  well  ; 
the  expedition  to  the  Hebrides  was  the  most  pleasant 
journey  that  I  ever  made.  Such  an  effort  annually 
would  give  the  world  a  little  diversification. 

"  Every  year,  however,  we  cannot  wander,  and 
must  therefore  endeavour  to  spend  our  time  at  home 
as  well  as  we  can.  1  believe  it  is  best  to  throw  life 
into  a  method,  that  every  hour  may  bring  its  employ- 
ment, and  every  employment  have  its  hour.  Xeno- 
phon  observes,  in  his  '  Treatise  on  Oeconomy,^  that  if 
every  thing  be  kept  in  a  certain  place,  when  any  thing- 
is  worn  out  or  consumed,  the  vacuity  which  it  leaves 


352  THE    LIFE   OP 

1776.  will  shew  what  is  wanting  ;  so  if  every  part  of  time  has 
^^^  its  duty,  the  hour  will  call  into  remembrance  its  proper 
67.  *  engagement. 

"  I  have  not  practised  all  this  prudence  myself,  but 
1  have  suffered  much  for  want  of  it  ;  and  I  would  have 
you,  by  timely  recollection  and  steady  resolution, 
escape  from  those  evils  which  have  lain  heavy  upon 
me.     I  am,  my  dearest  Boswell, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  Bolt-court,  Nov.  16,  1776.        "  Sam.  Johnson." 

On  the  I6th  of  November  1  informed  him  that  Mr, 
Strahan  had  sent  me  twelve  copies  of  the  "  Journey  to 
the  Western  Islands,"  handsomely  bound,  instead  of 
the  txoenti/  copies  which  were  stipulated  ;  but  which, 
I  supposed,  were  to  be  only  in  sheets  ;  requested  to 
know  how  they  should  be  distributed  :  and  mentioned 
that  I  had  another  son  born  to  me,  who  was  named 
David,  and  was  a  sickly  infant. 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ* 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  been  for  some  time  ill  of  a  cold,  which, 
perhaps,  1  made  an  excuse  to  myself  for  not  writing, 
when  in  reality  I  knew  not  what  to  say. 

"  The  books  you  must  at  last  distribute  as  you 
think  best,  in  my  name,  or  your  own,  as  you  are  in- 
clined, or  as  you  judge  most  proper.  Every  body  can- 
not be  obliged  ;  but  I  wish  that  nobody  may  be 
offended.     Do  the  best  you  can.  ^ 

"  I  congratulate  you  on  the  increase  of  your  family, 
and  hope  that  little  David  is  by  this  time  well,  and  his 
mamma  perfectly  recovered.  I  am  much  pleased  to 
hear  of  the  re-establishment  of  kindness  between  you 
and  your  father.  Cultivate  his  paternal  tenderness  as 
much  as  you  can.  To  live  at  variance  at  all  is  uncom- 
fortable ;  and  variance  with  a  father  is  still  more  un- 
comfortable. Besides  that,  in  the  whole  dispute  you 
have  the  wrong  side  ;  at  least  you  gave  the  first  provo- 
cations, and  some  of  them  very  offensive.     Let  it  now 


DR.   JOHNSON.  553 

be  all  over.     As  you  have  no  reason  to  think  that  your  '776. 
new   mother  h;is  shown    you   any  loul  play,   treat  her  jT^'.^ 
with  respect,  and  with  some  degree  of  contidonce  ;  this   (>7. 
will  secure  your  father.     When  once  a  discordant  fam- 
ily has  felt  the  pleasure  of  peace  they  will  not  willingly 
lose  it.     If  Mrs.  Boswell  would  but  be  friends  with  me, 
we  might  now  shut  the  temple  of  Janus. 

'•  \Vhat  came  of  Dr.  Memis's  cause  I  Is  the  quest- 
ion about  the  negro  determined  ?  Has  Sir  Allan  any 
reasonable  hopes  !  What  is  become  of  poor  Macquar- 
ry  I  Let  me  know  the  event  of  all  these  litigations.  1 
wish  particularly  well  to  the  negro  and  Sir  Allan. 

"  Mrs.  Williams  has  been  much  out  of  order  ;  and 
though  she  is  something  better,  is  likely,  in  her  phy- 
sician's opinion,  to  endure  her  malady  for  life,  though 
she  may,  perhaps,  die  of  some  other.     Mrs.  Thrale  is] 
big,  and  fancies  that  she  carries  a  boy  ;  if  it  were  very { 
reasonable  to  wish  much  about  it,   1  should  wish  her] 
not  to  be  disappointed.     The  desire  of  male  heirs  is  not 
appendant  only  to  feudal   tenures.     A  son   is  almost 
necessary  to  the  continuance  of  Thrale's  fortune  ;  for 
what  can  misses  do  with   a  brewhouse  I  Lands  are 
fitter  for  daughters  than  trades. 

"  Baretti  went  away  from  Thrale's  in  some  whimsi- 
cal fit  of  disgust,  or  ill-nature,  without  taking  an}'  leave. 
It  is  well  if  he  finds  in  any  other  place  as  good  an  hab- 
itation, and  as  many  conveniences.  He  has  got  five- 
and-twenty  guineas  by  translating  Sir  Joshua's  Dis- 
courses into  Italian,  and  Mr.  Thrale  gave  him  an  hun- 
dred in  the  spring  ;  so  that  he  is  yet  in  no  difficulties. 

"  Colman  has  bought  Foote's  patent,  and  is  to  allow 
Foote  for  life  sixteen  hundred  pounds  a  year,  as  Rey- 
nolds told  me,  and  to  allow  him  to  play  so  often  on 
such  terms  that  he  may  gain  four  hundred  pounds 
more.  What  Colman  can  get  by  this  bargain, ^  but 
trouble  and  hazard,  I  do  not  see.     I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 

"  Df?c.  21,  1776.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

*  [It  turned  out,  however,  a  very  fortunate  bargain,  for  Foote,  though  not  then 
fifty-six,  died  at  an  inn  in  Dover,  in  less  than  a  year-  Oct.  21,  1777,    M.] 

VOL.  IT.  45 


So-i  THE    LIFE    OP 

1777.  The  Reverend  Dr.  Hugh  Blair,  who  had  long  been 
admired  as  a  preacher  at  Edinburgh,  thought  now  of 
diffusing  his  excellent  sermons  more  extensively,  and 
increasing  his  reputation,  by  publishing  a  collection  of 
them.  He  transmitted  the  manuscript  to  Mr.  Strahan, 
the  printer,  who  after  keeping  it  for  some  time,  wrote 
a  letter  to  him,  discouraging  the  publication.  Such  at 
first  was  the  unpropitious  state  of  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful theological  books  that  has  ever  appeared. 
Mr.  Strahan,  however,  had  sent  one  of  the  sermons  to 
Dr.  Johnson  for  his  opinion  :  and  after  his  unfavour- 
able letter  to  Dr.  Blair  had  been  sent  off,  he  received 
from  Johnson  on  Christmas-eve,  a  note  in  which  was 
the  following  paragraph  : 

"  I  have  read  over  Dr.  Blair's  first  sermon  with 
more  than  approbation  ;  to  say  it  is  good,  is  to  say  too 
little." 

I  believe  Mr.  Strahan  had  very  soon  after  this  time  a 
conversation  with  Dr.  Johnson  concerning  them  ;  and 
then  he  very  candidly  wrote  again  to  Dr.  Blair,  enclos- 
ing Johnson's  note,  and  agreeing  to  purchase  the  vol- 
ume, for  which  he  and  Mr.  Cadell  gave  one  hundred 
pounds.  The  sale  was  so  rapid  and  extensive,  and  the 
approbation  of  the  publick  so  high,  that  to  their  honour 
be  it  recorded,  the  proprietors  made  Dr.  Blair  a  present 
first  of  one  sum,  and  afterwards  of  another,  of  fifty 
pounds,  thus  voluntarily  doubling  the  stipulated  price  ; 
and  when  he  prepared  another  volume,  they  gave  him 
at  once  three  hundred  pounds,  being  in  all  five  hun- 
dred pounds,  by  an  agreement  to  which  I  am  a  sub- 
scribing witness  ;  and  now  for  a  third  octavo  volume 
he  has  received  no  less  than  six  hundred  pounds. 

In  1777,  it  appears  from  his  "  Prayers  and  Medita- 
tions," that  Johnson  suffered  much  from  a  state  of 
mind  '*  unsettled  and  perplexed,"  and  from  that  con- 
stitutional gloom,  which,  together  with  his  extreme 
humility  and  anxiety  with  regard  to  his  religious  state, 
made  him  contemplate  himself  through  too  dark  and 
unfavourable  a  medium.  It  may  be  said  of  him,  that 
he  "  saw  God  in  clouds."     Certain  we  may  be  of 


DR.    JOHNSON.  S55 

his  injustice  to  himsolf  in   the  following  lamentable  i777. 
paragraph,  which  it   is  painful  to  think  came  from  the  ^,'J^ 
contrite  heart  of  this  groat  man,  to  whose  labours  the   (,«. 
world  is  so  much  indebted  :  "  When  1  survey  my  past 
life,   1  discover  nothing  but  a   barren   waste  of  time, 
with  some  disorders  of  body,   and  disturbances  of  the 
mind,  very   near  to   madness,  which   1  hope   He  that 
made  me  will  suffer  to  extenuate  many  faults,  and 
excuse  many  deficiencies."^     But  we  find  his  devo- 
tions   in   this   year   eminently  fervent  ;    and    we    are 
comforted  by  observing  intervals  of  quiet,  composure, 
and  gladness. 

On  Easter  day  we  find  the  following  emphatick 
prayer  :  "  Almighty  and  most  merciful  Father,  who 
seest  all  our  miseries,  and  knowest  all  our  necessities, 
look  down  upon  me,  and  pity  me.  Defend  me  from 
the  violent  incursion  of  evil  thoughts,  and  enable  me 
to  form  and  keep  such  resolutions  as  may  conduce  to 
the  discharge  of  the  duties  which  thy  providence  shall 
appoint  me  ;  and  so  help  me,  by  thy  Holy  Spirit,  that 
my  heart  may  surely  there  be  fixed,  where  true  joys 
are  to  be  found,  and  that  I  may  serve  thee  with  pure 
affection  and  a  cheerful  mind.  Have  mercy  upon  me, 
O  God,  have  mercy  upon  me  ;  years  and  infirmities 
oppress  me,  terrour  and  anxiety  beset  me.  Have 
mercy  upon  me,  my  Creator  and  my  Judge.  In  all 
perplexities  relieve  and  free  me  ;  and  so  help  me  by 
thy  Holy  Spirit,  that  I  may  now  so  commemorate  the 
death  of  thy  Son  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  as  that 
when  this  short  and  painful  life  shall  have  an  end,  I 
may,  for  his  sake,  be  received  to  everlasting  happiness. 
Amen.^" 

While  he  was  at  church,  the  agreeable  impressions 
upon  his  mind  are  thus  commemorated,  "  I  was  for 
some  time  distressed,  but  at  last  obtained,  I  hope  from 
the  God  of  Peace,  more  quiet  than  I  have  enjoyed  for 
a  long  time.  I  had  made  no  resolution,  but  as  my 
heart  grew  lighter,  my  hopes  revived,  and  my  courage 

*  Prayers  and  Meditations,  p.  155. 
"  Prayers  and  Meditations,  p.  158. 


356  THE    LIFE   OF 

1777.  increased  ;  and  I  wrote  with  my  pencil  in  my  Com- 
^t.^^  mon  Prayer  Book, 

"  Viia  ordinanda. 

"  Biblia  legenda. 

*'  Theologice  opera  dunda. 

"  Set'viendum  et  Icetmidum" 

Mr.  Steevens,  whose  generosity  is  well  known,  joined 
Dr.  Johnson  in  kind  assistance  to  a  female  relation  of 
Dr.  Goldsmith,  and  desired  that  on  her  return  to  Ire- 
land she  would  procure  authentick  particulars  of  the 
life  of  her  celebrated  relation.  Concerning  her  is  the 
following  letter  : 

"    TO  GEORGE  STEEVENS,   ESQ. 
"    DEAR  SIR, 

"  You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  from  Mrs.  Gold- 
smith, whom  we  lamented  as  drowned,  I  have  received 
a  letter  full  of  gratitude  to  us  all,  with  promise  to 
make  the  enquiries  which  we  recommended  to  her. 

"  1  would  have  had  the  honour  of  conveying  this 
intelligence  to  Miss  Caulfield,  but  that  her  letter  is 
not  at  hand,  and  1  know  not  the  direction.  You  will 
tell  the  good  news.     I  am.  Sir, 

"  Your  most,  &c. 

"  February  25,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson.''^ 

"    MR.    BOSWELL    TQ    DR.   JOHNSON. 

"  Edinburgh^  Feb.  14-,  1777. 

"    MY    DEAR    SIR, 

"  My  state  of  epistolary  accounts  with  you  at 
present  is  extraordinary.  The  balance,  as  to  number, 
is  on  your  side.  1  am  indebted  to  you  for  two  letters  ; 
one  dated  the  l6th  of  November,  upon  which  very  day 
I  wrote  to  you,  so  that  our  letters  were  exactly  ex- 
changed, and  one  dated  the  21st  of  December  last. 

"  My  heart  was  warmed  with  gratitude  by  the  truly 
kind  contents  of  both  of  them  ;  and  it  is  amazing  and 
vexing  that  1  have  allowed  so  much  time  to  olapso 


DR.    JOHNSON.  357 

Without  writing  to  you.     But  delay  is  inherent  in  me,  i777. 
by  nature  or  by  bad  habit.     1  waited  till  I  should  have  ^^ 
an  opportunity  of  paying  you  my  compliments  on  a   cg. 
new  year.     1  have  procrastinated  till  the  year  is  no 

longer  new. 

#♦♦♦*♦ 

"  Dr.  Memis's  cause  was  determined  against  him, 
with  401.  costs.  The  Lord  President,  and  two  other 
of  the  Judges,  dissented  from  the  majority,  upon  this 
ground  ;  that  although  there  may  have  been  no  inten- 
tion to  injure  him  by  calling  him  Doctor  of  Medicine, 
instead  of  P/ii/siciun,  yet,  as  he  remonstrated  against 
the  designation  before  the  charter  was  printed  off,  and 
represented  that  it  was  disagreeable,  and  even  hurtful 
to  him,  it  was  illnatured  to  refuse  to  alter  it,  and  let 
him  have  the  designation  to  which  he  was  certainly 
entitled.  My  own  opinion  is,  that  our  court  has  judg- 
ed wrong.  The  defendants  were  in  maid  fide^  to  per- 
sist in  naming  him  in  a  way  that  he  disliked.  You 
remember  poor  Goldsmith,  when  he  grew  important, 
and  wished  to  appear  Doctor  Major,  could  not  bear 
your  calling  him  Goldy.  Would  it  not  have  been 
wrong  to  have  named  him  so  in  your  '  Preface  to 
Shakspeare,'  or  in  any  serious  permanent  writing  of 
any  sort  ?  The  difficulty  is,  whether  an  action  should 
be  allowed  on  such  petty  wrongs.  De  minimis  non 
curat  lex. 

"  The  negro  cause  is  not  yet  decided.  A  memo- 
rial is  preparing  on  the  side  of  slavery.  I  shall  send 
you  a  copy  as  soon  as  it  is  printed.  Maclaurin  is  made 
happy  by  your  approbation  of  his  memorial  for  the 
black. 

"  Macquarry  was  here  in  the  winter,  and  we  passed 
an  evening  together.  The  sale  of  his  estate  cannot  be 
prevented. 

"  Sir  Allan  Maclean's  suit  against  the  Duke  of 
Argyle,  for  recovering  the  ancient  inheritance  of  his 
family,  is  now  fairly  before  all  our  judges.  I  spoke  for 
him  yesterday,  and  Maclaurin  to-day  ;  Crosbie  spoke 
to-day  against  him.  Three  more  counsel  are  to  be 
heard,  and  next  week  the  cause  will  be  determined 


35S  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  I  send  you  the  Informations,  or  Cases,  on  each  side, 
^^j^  which  I  hope  you  will  read.     You  said  to  me  when 
68.    we  were  under  Sir  Allan's  hospitable  roof,  '  I  will  help 
him  with  my  pen/     You  said  it  with  a  generous  glow  ; 
and  though  his  Grace  of  Argyle  did  afterwards  mount 
you  upon  an  excellent  horse,  upon  which  '  you  looked 
like  a  Bishop,'  you  must  not  swerve  from  your  purpose  at 
Inchkenneth.     I  wish  you  may  understand  the  points 
at  issue,  amidst  our  Scotch  law  principles  and  phrases. 
[Here  followed  a  full  state  of  the  case,   in  which  I 
endeavoured  to  make  it  as  clear  as  I  could  to  an  Eng- 
lishman who  had  no  knowledge  of  the  formularies  and 
technical  language  of  the  law  of  Scotland.] 

"  I  shall  inform  you  how  the  cause  is  decided  here. 
But  as  it  may  be  brought  under  the  review  of  our  Judg- 
es, and  is  certainly  to  be  carried  by  appeal  to  the  House 
of  Lords,  the  assistance  of  such  a  mind  as  your's  will  be 
of  consequence.  Your  paper  on  Vicious  Intromission 
is  a  noble  proof  of  what  you  can  do  even  in  Scotch  law. 

7^  *V|»  Vp  "J^  tfi 

"  I  have  not  yet  distributed  all  your  books.  Lord 
Hailes  and  Lord  Monboddo  have  each  received  one, 
and  return  you  thanks.  Monboddo  dined  with  me 
lately,  and  having  drank  tea,  we  were  a  good  while  by 
ourselves,  and  as  1  knew  that  he  had  read  the  '  Journey' 
superficially,  as  he  did  not  talk  of  it  as  I  wished,  I 
brought  it  to  him,  and  read  aloud  several  passages  ;  and 
then  he  talked  so,  that  I  told  him  he  was  to  have  a  copy 
Jrom  the  authoiir.     He  begged  that  might  be  marked 

on  it. 

****** 

"  I  ever  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  faithful 
"  And  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell." 

"  sir  alexander  dick,  to  dr.  samuel  johnson. 

"  SIR,  Frestonfield,  Feb.  17,  1777- 

"  I  HAD  yesterday  the  honour  of  receiving  your 

book  of  your  '  Journeij  to  the  Western  Islands  of  Scot- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  3J9 

/o«<//  which  you  was  so  good  as  to  send  me,  by  the  1777- 
hands  of  our  mutual  friend,  Mr.  Boswell,  of  Auchiii-  ^^^ 
leek  ;  for  which  1  return  you  my  most  hearty  thanks ;  us. 
and  after  carefully  reading  it  over  again,  shall  deposit 
in  mv  Httle  collection  of  choice  books,  next  our  worthy 
friend's  '  Journey  to  Corsica.'  As  there  are  many 
things  to  admire  in  both  performances,  1  have  often 
wished  that  no  Travels  or  Journey  should  be  published 
but  those  undertaken  by  persons  of  integrity  and  capa- 
city, to  judge  well,  and  describe  faithfully,  and  in  good 
language,  the  situation,  condition,  and  manners  of  the 
countries  past  through.  Indeed  our  country  of  Scot- 
land, in  spite  of  the  union  of  the  crowns,  is  still  in  most 
places  so  devoid  of  clothing,  or  cover  from  hedges  and 
plantations,  that  it  was  well  you  gave  your  readers  a 
sound  Monitolre  with  respect  to  that  circumstance. 
The  truths  you  have  told,  and  the  purity  of  the  lan- 
guage in  which  they  are  expressed,  as  your  *  Journey' 
is  universally  read,  may,  and  already  appear  to  have  a 
very  good  effect.  For  a  man  of  my  acquaintance,  who 
has  the  largest  nursery  for  trees  and  hedges  in  this  coun- 
try, tells  me,  that  of  late  the  demand  upon  him  for  these 
articles  is  doubled,  and  sometimes  tripled.  I  have, 
therefore,  listed  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  in  some  of  my 
memorandums  of  the  principal  planters  and  favourers 
of  the  enclosures,  under  a  name  which  I  took  the  liber- 
ty to  invent  from  the  Greek,  Papadendrion.  Lord  Au- 
chinleck  and  some  few  more  are  of  the  list.  1  am  told 
that  one  gentleman  in  the  shire  of  Aberdeen,  viz.  Sir 
Archibald  Grant,  has  planted  above  fifty  millions  of 
trees  on  a  piece  of  very  wild  ground  at  Monimusk  :  I 
must  enquire  if  he  has  fenced  them  well,  before  he  en- 
ters my  list ;  for,  that  is  the  soul  of  enclosing.  1  began 
myself  to  plant  a  little,  our  ground  being  too  valuable 
for  much,  and  that  is  now  fifty  years  ago  ;  and  the  trees, 
now  in  my  seventy-fourth  year,  1  look  up  to  with  rev- 
erence, and  shew  them  to  my  eldest  son  now  in  his  fif- 
teenth year,  and  they  are  full  the  height  of  my  country- 
house  here,  where  I  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  you, 
and  hope  again  to  have  that  satisfaction  with  our  mutual 


360  THE    LIFE    OP 

1777.  friend,  Mr.  Boswell.     I  shall  always  continue,  with  the 
StaT  ^^^^^^^  esteem,  dear  Doctor, 
f58,  '  "  Your  much  obliged, 

"  And  obedient  humble  servant, 
"  Alexander  Dick."* 


"  TO  JAMES    BOSWELL,   ESQ. 
^'    DEAR  SIR, 

"  It  is  so  long  since  I  heard  any  thing  from  you,* 
that  I  am  not  easy  about  it  ;  write  something  to  me 
next  post.  When  you  sent  your  last  letter,  every  thing 
seemed  to  be  mending  ;  I  hope  nothing  has  lately  grown 
worse  ;  I  suppose  young  Alexander  continues  to  thrive, 
and  Veronica  is  now  very  pretty  company.  1  do  not  sup- 
pose the  lady  is  yet  reconciled  to  me,  yet  let  her  know 
that  I  love  her  very  well,  and  value  her  very  much. 

"  Dr.  Blair  is  printing  some  sermons.  If  they  are  all 
like  the  first,  which  I  have  read,  they  are  sermones  aurei, 
ac  auro  magis  aurei.  It  is  excellently  written  both  as 
to  doctrine  and  language.  Mr.  Watson's  book,*  seems 
to  be  much  esteemed. 

"  Poor  Beauclerk  still  continues  very  ill.  Langton 
lives  on  as  he  used  to  do.  His  children  are  very  pretty, 
and,  I  think,  his  lady  loses  her  Scotch.  Paoli  1  never 
see. 

"  I  have  been  so  distressed  by  difficulty  of  breathing, 
that  I  lost,  as  was  computed,  six-and-thirty  ounces  of 
blood  in  a  few  days.     I  am  better,  but  not  well. 

*'  I  wish  you  would  be  vigilant  and  get  me  Graham's 
'  Telemachus'  that  was  printed  at  Glasgow,  a  very  lit- 
tle book  ;  and  '  Johnstoni  Foemata^  another  little  book, 
printed  at  Middleburgh. 

"  Mrs.  Williams  sends  her  compliments,  and  prom- 
ises that  when  you  come  hither,  she  will  accommodate 

5  For  a  character  of  this  very  amiable  man,  see  "  Journal  of  a  Tour  to  the  He- 
brides," Sd  edit.  p.  36. 

"  By  the  then  course  of  the  post,  my  long  letter  of  the  Hth  had  not  yet  reach- 
ed him. 

'  History  of  Philip  the  Second. 


UR.    JOHNSON.  361 

Veil  as  well  as  ever  she  can  in  the  old  room.  She  '777. 
wishes  to  know  whether  you  sent  her  book  to  Sir  Alex-  JT,'.^ 
ander  (iordon.  08. 

"  iMy  dear  lioswell,  do  not  neglect  to  vNrite  to  me; 
for  your  kindness  is  one  of  the  pleasures  of  my  life, 
which  1  should  be  sorry  to  lose.     1  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 

"  Februarif  18,  1777-  "  Sam.  Jomkson." 

"  TO  DR.  SAMUEL  JOHNSON. 

"  DEAR  SIR,  EdiiiburiJ!;h^  Feb.  24,  1777- 

"  Your  letter  dated  the  ISth  instant,  1  had  the 
pleasure  to  receive  last  post.  Although  my  late  long 
neglect,  or  rather  delay,  was  truly  culpable,  1  am  tempt- 
ed not  to  regret  it,  since  it  has  produced  me  so  valuable 
a  proof  of  your  regard.  1  did,  indeed,  during  that  in- 
excusable silence,  sometimes  divert  the  reproaches  of 
my  own  mind,  by  fancying  that  1  should  hear  again 
from  you,  enquiring  with  some  anxiety  about  me,  be- 
cause, for  aught  you  knew,  1  might  have  been  ill. 

"  You  are  pleased  to  shew  me,  that  my  kindness  is 
of  some  consequence  to  you.  My  heart  is  elated  at  the 
thought.  Be  assured,  my  dear  Sir,  that  my  affection 
and  reverence  for  you  are  exalted  and  steady.  I  do  not 
believe  that  a  more  perfect  attachment  ever  existed  in 
the  history  of  mankind.  And  it  is  a  noble  attachment ; 
for  the  attractions  are  Genius,  Learning  and  Piety. 

"  Your  difficulty  of  breathing  alarms  me,  and  brings 
into  my  imagination  an  event,  which  although  in  the 
natural  course  of  things,  I  must  expect  at  some  period, 
I  cannot  view  with  composure. 

^r  ^F  *  T^  ^P  T^ 

"  My  wife  is  much  honoured  by  what  you  sav  of  her. 
She  begs  you  may  accept  of  her  best  compliments.  She 
is  to  send  you  some  marmalade  of  oranges  of  her  own 
making. 

"  I  ever  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  obliged 

"  And  faithful  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell,^' 

'/OT..  IT.  46 


362  THE    LIFE    OF 

^^^^*  "  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 

"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  been  much  pleased  with  your  late  letter^ 
and  am  glad  that  my  old  enemy,  Mrs.  Boswell,  begins 
to  feel  some  remorse.  As  to  Miss  Veronica's  Scotch,  I 
think  it  cannot  be  helped.  An  English  maid  you  might 
easily  have  ;  but  she  would  still  imitate  the  greater  num- 
ber, as  they  would  be  likewise  those  whom  she  must 
most  respect.  Her  dialect  will  not  be  gross.  Her 
mamma  has  not  much  Scotch,  and  you  have  yourself 
very  little.  I  hope  she  knows  my  name,  and  does  not 
call  me  Johnston.'^ 

"  The  immediate  cause  of  my  writing  is  this  : — One 
Shaw,  who  seems  a  modest  and  a  decent  man,  has  writ- 
ten an  Erse  Grammar,  which  a  very  learned  Highlander, 
Macbean,  has,  at  my  request,  examined  and  approved. 

"  The  book  is  very  little,  but  Mr.  Shaw  has  been  per- 
suaded by  his  friends  to  set  it  at  half  a  guinea,  though 
I  advised  only  a  crown,  and  thought  myself  liberal. 
You,  whom  the  authour  considers  as  a  great  encourager 
of  ingenious  men,  will  receive  a  parcel  of  his  proposals 
and  receipts.  1  have  undertaken  to  give  you  notice  of 
them,  and  to  solicit  your  countenance.  You  must  ask 
no  poor  man,  because  the  price  is  really  too  high.  Yet 
such  a  work  deserves  patronage. 

"  It  is  proposed  to  augment  our  club  from  twenty 
to  thirty,  of  which  I  am  glad  ;  for  as  we  have  several 
in  it  whom  I  do  not  much  like  to  consort  with,^  I  am 
for  reducing  it  to  a  mere  miscellaneous  collection  of 
conspicuous  men,  without  any  determinate  character. 

^  It*  *  ^ 

"  I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Most  affectionately  your's, 
"  March  14,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson.'* 

"  My  respects  to  Madam,  to  Veronica,  to  iVlexan- 
der,  to  Euphemia,  to  David." 

-  Johnj-fn  is  the  most  common  English  formation  of  the  Sirn.ime  from  yofm  ; 
]o\\r\ston  the  Scotch.  My  illustrious  friend  observed,  that  many  North  Britons 
pronounced  his  name  in  their  own  way. 

*  On  account  of  their  differing  from  him  as  to  religion  and  politicks. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  3()3 

"'    MR.    BOSWELL    TO    DR.    JOHNSON.  ^111  • 

"  Edinburgh,  April  \,  XTil .      ^^^]' 
[After  infoimiiii;   him  of  the  death  of  my  little  son 
David,  and   that   1  could  not  come   to   London  this 
spring  :— ] 

"  1  think  it  hard  that  I  should  be  a  whole  year 
without  seeing-  you.  May  1  presume  to  petition  for  a 
meeting  with  you  in  the  autumn  !  You  have,  1  be- 
lieve, seen  all  the  cathedrals  in  England,  except  that 
of  Carlisle.  If  you  are  to  be  with  Dr.  Taylor,  at  Ash- 
bourne, it  would  not  be  a  great  journey  to  come  thither. 
We  may  pass  a  few  most  agreeable  days  there  by  our- 
selves, and  1  will  accompany  you  a  good  part  of  the 
way  to  the  southward  again.     Pray  think  of  this. 

"  You  forget  that  JMr.  Shaw's  Erse  Grammar  was 
put  into  your  hands  by  myself  last  year.  Lord  Eglin- 
toune  put  it  into  mine.  I  am  glad  that  Mr.  Macbean 
approves  of  it.  I  have  received  Mr.  Shaw's  proposals 
for  its  publication,  which  I  can  perceive  are  written  hy 
the  hand  of  a  Master. 

"  Pray  get  for  me  all  the  editions  of  '  Walton's 
Lives,'  I  have  a  notion  that  the  republication  of  them 
with  Notes  will  fall  upon  me,  between  Dr.  Home  and 
Lord  Hailes.'^* 

Mr.  Shaw's  proposals^  for  "  An  Analysis  of  the 
Scotch  Celtic  Language,"  were  thus  illuminated  by 
the  pen  of  Johnson  : 

*'  Though  the  Erse  Dialect  of  the  Celtic  language 
has,  from  the  earliest  times,  been  spoken  in  Britain, 
and  still  subsists  in  the  northern  parts  and  adjacent 
islands,  yet,  by  the  negligence  of  a  people  rather  war- 
like than  lettered,  it  has  hitherto  been  left  to  the 
caprice  and  judgement  of  every  speaker,  and  has  float- 
ed in  the  living  voice,  without  the  steadiness  of  anal- 
ogy, or  direction  of  rules.     An  Erse  Grammar  is  an 

*  [None  of  the  persons  here  mentioned  executed  the  work  which  they  had  iiv 
contemplation.  Walton's  valuable  book,  however,  has  been  correctly  republished 
in  quarto,  with  notes  and  illustrations,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Zouch.    M.] 


364  THE    LIFE   OF 

1777.  addition  to  the  stores  of  literature  ;  and  its  authoup 
"^l^  hopes  for  the  indulgence  always  shewn  to  those  that 
6'8.  attempt  to  do  what  was  never  done  before.  If  his  work 
shall  be  found  defective,  it  is  at  least  all  his  own :  he  is 
not  like  other  grammarians,  a  compiler  or  transcriber  ; 
uhat  he  delivers,  he  has  learned  by  attentive  observa- 
tion among  his  countrymen,  who  perhaps  will  be  them- 
selves surprized  to  see  that  speech  reduced  to  principles, 
which  they  have  used  only  by  imitation. 

"  The  use  of  this  book  will,  however,  not  be  con- 
fin*  d  to  the  mountains  and  islands  ;  it  will  afford  a 
pleasing  and  important  subject  of  speculation,  to  those 
whose  studies  lead  them  to  trace  the  affinity  of  lan- 
guages, and  the'  migrations  of  the  ancient  races  of 
mankind." 

"    TO    DR.    SAMUEL  JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  "  Glasgow^  April  24,  1777- 

"  Our  worthy  friend  Thrale's  death  having  ap- 
peared in  the  news-papers,  and  been  afterwards  contra- 
dicted, 1  have  been  placed  in  a  state  of  very  uneasy 
uncertainty,  from  which  I  hoped  to  be  relieved  by 
you  :  l)ut  my  hopes  have  as  yet  been  vain.  How 
could  you  omit  to  write  to  me  on  such  an  occasion.  I 
shall  wait  with  anxiety. 

"  1  am  going  to  Auchinleck  to  stay  a  fortnight  with 
my  father.  It  is  better  not  to  be  there  very  long  at  one 
time.  But  frequent  renewals  of  attention  are  agreea- 
ble to  him. 

"  Pray  tell  me  about  this  edition  of  '  The  English 
Poets,  with  a  Preface,  biographical  and  critical,  to  each 
Authour,  by  Samuel  Johnson,  L  L.  D.'  which  I  see 
advertised.  1  am  delighted  with  the  prospect  of  it. 
Indeed  I  am  happy  to  feel  that  I  am  capable  of  being 
so  much  delighted  with  literature.  l]ut  is  not  the 
charm  of  this  publication  chiefly  owing  to  the  magmuu 
nomen  in  the  front  of  it  ? 

"  What  do  you  say  of  Lord  ChesterficJdV  Memoirs 
and  last  Letters  ? 


DR.   JOHNSON.  36o 

"  My  wife  has  made  marmalade  of  oranges  for  you.  >777. 
I  left  her  and  my  daughters  and  Alexander  all  well  ^Q^^ 
yestertlay.     1  have   taught   Veronica   to  speak  of  you   08. 
thus  ; — Dr.   John^"(;«,  not   John.s7o«.      I  remain,  my 
dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate, 
"  And  obliged  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell." 

*'  to  james  boswell,  esq. 

"    DEAE  SIR, 

"  The  story  of  Mr.  Thrale's  death,  as  he  had 
neither  been  sick  nor  in  any  other  danger,  made  so 
httle  impression  upon  me,  that  I  never  thought  about 
obviating  its  effects  on  any  body  else.  It  is  supposed 
to  have  been  produced  by  the  English  custom  of 
making  April  fools,  that  is,  of  sending  one  another  on 
some  foolish  errand  on  the  first  of  April. 

"  Tell  Mrs.  Boswell  that  I  shall  taste  her  marma- 
lade cautiously  at  first.  Timeo  Danaos  et  domi  feren- 
tcs.  Beware,  says  the  Italian  proverb,  of  a  reconciled 
enemy.  But  when  I  find  it  does  me  no  harm,  I  shall 
then  receive  it  and  be  thankful  for  it,  as  a  pledge  of 
firm,  and,  I  hope,  of  unalterable  kindness.  She  is, 
after  all,  a  dear,  dear  lady. 

"  Please  to  return  Dr.  Blair  thanks  for  his  sermons. 
The  Scotch  write  English  wonderfully  well. 

"  Your  frequent  visits  to  Auchinleck,  and  your 
short  stay  there,  are  very  laudable  and  very  judicious. 
Your  present  concord  with  your  father  gives  me  great 
pleasure  ;  it  was  all  that  you  seemed  to  want. 

"  My   health  is  very  bad,  and  my  nights  are  very 
unquiet.     What  can  I  do  to  mend  them  ?  I  have  for 
this  summer  nothing  better  in  prospect  than  a  journey 
into  Staffordshire   and  Derbyshire,  perhaps  with  Ox-  . 
ford  and  Birmingham  in  my  way. 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  Miss  Veronica  ;  I  must 
leave  it  to  her  philosophy  to  comfort  you  for  the  loss 
of  little  David.     You  must  remember,  that  to  keep 


366  THE    LIFE    OP 

1777.  three  out  of  four   is  more  than   your   share.      Mrs. 

^^  Thrale  has  but  four  out  of  eleven. 

C8.  "  1  am  engaged  to  write  little  Lives,  and  little  Pre- 
faces, to  a  little  edition  of  the  English  Poets.  1  think 
I  have  persuaded  the  booksellers  to  insert  something 
of  Thomson  ;  and  if  you  could  give  me  some  informa- 
tion about  him,  for  the  life  which  we  have  is  very 
scanty,  I  should  be  glad.     1  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate  humble  servant, 
"  Maij  3,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

To  those  who  delight  in  tracing  the  progress  of 
works  of  hterature,  it  will  be  an  entertainment  to  com- 
pare the  limited  design  with  the  ample  execution  of 
that  admirable  performance,  "  The  Lives  of  the  En- 
glish Poets,"  which  is  the  richest,  most  beautiful,  and 
indeed  most  perfect,  production  of  Johnson's  pen.  His 
notion  of  it  at  this  time  appears  in  the  preceding  letter. 
He  has  a  memorandum  in  this  year,  "  29  May,  Easter- 
Eve,  I  treated  with  booksellers  on  a  bargain,  but  the 
time  was  not  long."^  The  bargain  was  concerning 
that  undertaking  ;  but  his  tender  conscience  seems 
alarmed,  lest  it  should  have  intruded  too  much  on  his 
devout  preparation  for  the  solemnity  of  the  ensuing 
day.  But,  indeed,  very  little  time  was  necessary  for 
Johnson's  concluding  a  treaty  with  the  booksellers  ; 
as  he  had,  1  believe,  less  attention  to  profit  from  his 
labours,  than  any  man  to  whom  literature  has  been  a 
profession.  I  shall  here  insert  from  a  letter  to  me  from 
my  late  worthy  friend  Mr.  Edward  Dilly,  though  of  a 
later  date,  an  account  of  this  plan  so  happily  conceiv- 
ed ;  since  it  was  the  occasion  of  procuring  for  us  an 
elegant  collection  of  the  best  biography  and  criticism 
of  which  our  language  can  boast. 


"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 


£C 


DEAR  SIR,  "  Soiithhill^  Sept.  S6,  1/77. 

"  You  will  find  by  this  letter,  that  I  am  still  in 
the  same  calm    retreat,  from  the  noise  and  bustle  of 

»  Prayers  and  Meditations,  p.  155. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  367 

London,  as  when  I  wrote  to  you  last.     I  am  bappy  to  '777. 
find  you  had  such  an  agreeable  meeting  with  your  old  ^|^ 
friend   Dr.  Johnson  ;  I  have   no  doubt  your  stock   is    G8. 
much   increased  by  the   interview  ;  few   men,   nay  1 
may  say,  scarcely  any  man,  has  got  that  funtl  of  knowl- 
edge and  entertainment  as  Ur.  .b)hnson  in  conversation. 
When  he  opens  freely,  every  one  is  attentive  to  what 
he  says,  and  cannot   fail   of  improvement  as   well  as 
pleasure. 

"  The  edition  of  the  Poets,  now  printing,  will  do 
honour  to  the  English  press  ;  and  a  concise  account  of 
the  lite  of  each  authour,  by  Dr.  Johnson,  will  be  a 
very  valuable  addition,  and  stamp  the  reputation  of 
this  edition  superiour  to  any  thing  that  is  gone  before. 
The  first  cause  that  gave  rise  to  this  undertaking,  I 
believe,  was  owing  to  the  little  trifling  edition  of  the 
Poets,  printing  by  the  Martins  at  Edinburgh,  and  to  be 
sold  by  Bell,  in  London.  Upon  examining  the  vol- 
umes which  were  printed,  the  type  was  found  so  ex- 
tremely small,  that  many  persons  could  not  read  them; 
not  only  this  inconvenience  attended  it,  but  the  inac- 
curacy of  the  press  was  very  conspicuous.  These  rea- 
sons, as  well  as  the  idea  of  an  invasion  of  what  we 
call  our  Literary  Property,  induced  the  London  Book- 
sellers to  print  an  elegant  and  accurate  edition  of  all 
the  English  poets  of  reputation,  from  Chaucer  to  the 
present  time. 

"  Accordingly  a  select  number  of  the  most  respecta- 
ble booksellers  met  on  the  occasion  ;  and,  on  consulting 
together,  agreed,  that  all  the  proprietors  of  copy-right 
in  the  various  Poets  should  be  summoned  together;  • 
and  when  their  opinions  were  given,  to  proceed  imme- 
diately on  the  business.  Accordingly  a  meeting  was 
held,  consisting  of  about  forty  of  the  most  respectable 
booksellers  of  London,  when  it  was  agreed  that  an  ele- 
gant and  uniform  edition  of  '  The  English  Poets'  should 
be  immediately  printed,  with  a  concise  account  of  the 
life  of  each  authour,  by  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson;  and  that 
three  persons  should  be  deputed  to  wait  upon  Dr.  John- 
son, to  solicit  him  to  undertake  the  Lives,  viz.  T.  Da- 
vies,  Strahan,  and  Cadell.   The  Doctor  very  politely  un- 


368  THE    LIFE    OP 

1777.  dertook  it,  and  seemed  exceedingly  pleased  with  the 
]J^  proposal.  As  to  the  terms,  it  was  left  entirely  to  the 
6«.  Doctor  to  name  his  own  ;  he  mentioned  two  hundred 
guineas;^  it  was  immediately  agreed  to;  and  a  farther 
compliment,  1  believe,  will  be  made  him.  A  commit- 
tee was  likewise  appointed  to  engage  the  best  engravers, 
viz.  Bartolozzi,  Sherwin,  Hall,  &c.  Likewise  another 
committee  for  giving  directions  about  the  paper,  print- 
ing, &c.  so  that  the  whole  will  be  conducted  with  spirit, 
and  in  the  best  manner,  with  respect  to  authourship, 
editorship,  engravings,  &c.  &c.  My  brother  will  give 
you  a  list  of  the  Poets  we  mean  to  give,  many  of  which 
are  within  the  time  of  the  Act  of  Queen  Anne,  which 
Martin  and  Bell  cannot  give,  as  they  have  no  property 
in  them ;  the  proprietors  are  almost  all  the  booksellers 
in  London,  of  consequence.     I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Ever  your's, 

"  Edward  Dilly." 

I  shall  afterwards  have  occasion  to  consider  the  ex- 
tensive and  varied  range  which  Johnson  took,  when  he 
was  once  led  upon  ground  which  he  trod  with  a  pecu- 
liar delight,  having  long  been  intimately  acquainted  with 
all  the  circumstances  of  it  that  could  interest  and  please. 

"  DR.  JOHNSON  TO  CHARLES  O^CONNOR,  ESQ.' 
"  SIR, 

"  Having  had  the  pleasure  of  conversing  with 
Dr.  Campbell  about  your  character  and  your  literary 
undertaking,  I  am  resolved  to  gratify  myself  by  renew- 

'  [Johnson's  moderation  in  demanding  so  small  a  sum  is  extraordinary.     Had  he 
asked  one  thousand,  or  even  fifteen  hundred  guineas,  the  booksellers,  who  knew  the- 
value  of  his  name,  would  doubtless  have  readily  given  it.     They  have  probably 
got  five  thousand  guineas  by  this  work  in  the  course  of  twenty-five  years.     M.] 

'  Mr.  Joseph  Cooper  Walker,  of  the  Treasury,  Dublin,  who  obligingly  commu- 
nicated to  me  this  and  a  former  letter  from  Dr.  Johnson  to  the  same  gentleman, 
(for  which  see  Vol.  I.  page  251)  writes  to  me  as  follows  : — "  Perhaps  it  would  grat- 
ify you  to  have  some  account  of  Mr.  O'Connor.  He  is  an  amiable,  learned,  vene- 
rable old  gentleman,  of  an  independent  fortune,  who  lives  at  Belanagar,  in  the 
county  of  Roscommon  ;  he  is  an  admired  writer,  and  Member  of  the  Irish  Acad- 
emy.— The  above  Letter  is  alluded  to  in  the  Preface  to  the  2d  edit,  of  his  Dissert, 
p.  3." — Mr.  O'Connor  afterwards  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-two,  July  1,  1791. 
See  a  well-drawn  character  of  him  in  the  Gentleman's  Magazine  for  Aug^ist  1791- 


1)R.    JOHNSON.  369 

ing  a  correspondence  which  began  and  ended  a  great  i777. 
while  ago,  and  ended,  1  am  afraid,  by  my  fault ;  a  tault  ^^^^ 
which,  if  you  have  not  forgotten  it,  you  must  now  for-  (jg.  ' 
give. 

"  If  I  have  ever  disappointed  you,  give  me  leave  to 
tell  you,  that  you  have  likewise  disappointed  me.  I 
expected  great  discoveries  in  Irish  antiquity,  and  Uirgc 
publications  in  the  Irish  language ;  but  the  world  still 
remains  as  it  was,  doubtful  and  ignorant.  What  the 
Irish  language  is  in  itself,  and  to  what  languages  it  has 
affinity,  are  very  interesting  questions,  which  every  man 
wishes  to  see  resolved  that  has  any  philological  or  his- 
torical curiosity.  Dr.  Leiand  begins  his  history  too 
iate  :  the  ages  which  deserve  an  exact  enquiry  are  those 
times  (for  such  there  were)  when  Ireland  was  the  school 
of  the  west,  the  quiet  habitation  of  sanctity  and  litera- 
ture. If  you  could  give  a  history,  though  imperfect,  of 
the  Irish  nation,  from  its  conversion  to  Christianity  to 
the  invasion  from  England,  you  would  amplify  knowl- 
edge with  new  views  and  new  objects.  Set  about  it 
therefore,  if  you  can  :  do  what  you  can  easily  do  with- 
out anxious  exactness.  Lay  the  foundation,  and  leave 
the  superstructure  to  posterity.     1  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 

"  Ma^  19,   1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

Early  in  this  year  came  out,  in  two  volumes  quarto, 
the  posthumous  works  of  the  learned  Dr.  Zachary 
Pearce,  Bishop  of  Rochester  ;  being  "  A  Commentary, 
with  Notes,  on  the  four  Evangelists  and  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles,"  with  other  theological  pieces.  Johnson 
had  now  an  opportunity  of  making  a  grateful  return  to 
that  excellent  prelate,  who,  we  have  seen,  was  the  only 
person  who  gave  him  any  assistance  in  the  compilation 
of  his  dictionary.  The  Bishop  had  left  some  account  of 
his  life  and  character,  written  by  himself.  To  this  John- 
son made  some  valuable  additions,-]"  and  also  furnished 
to  the  editor,  the  Reverend  Mr.  Derby,  a  Dedication,  f 
which  I  shall  here  insert,  both  because  it  will  appear  at 
this  time  with  peculiar  propriety  ;  and  because  it  will 
tend  to  propagate  and  increase  that  "  fervour  of  Loyal' 

VOL,  ir.  47 


370  THE    LIFE    OP 

1777.  /y,"  which  in  me,  who  boast  of  the  name  of  Tory,  is 
^J^J^  not  only  a  principle,  but  a  passion. 

"  TO  THE  KING. 
"  SIR, 

"  1  PRESUME  to  lay  before  your  Majesty  the  last 
labours  of  a  learned  Bishop,  who  died  in  the  toils  and 
duties  of  his  calling.  He  is  now  beyond  the  reach  of 
all  earthly  honours  and  rewards  ;  and  only  the  hope  of 
inciting  others  to  imitate  him,  makes  it  now  fit  to  be 
remembered,  that  he  enjoyed  in  his  life  the  favour  of 
your  Majesty. 

"  The  tumultuary  life  of  Princes  seldom  permits 
them  to  survey  the  wide  extent  of  national  interest, 
Avithout  losing  sight  of  private  merit ;  to  exhibit  quali- 
ties which  may  be  imitated  by  the  highest  and  the 
humblest  of  mankind:  and  to  be  at  once  amiable  and 
great. 

"  Such  characters,  if  now  and  then  they  appear  in 
history,  are  contemplated  with  admiration.  May  it  be 
the  ambition  of  all  your  subjects  to  make  haste  with 
their  tribute  of  reverence ;  and  as  posterity  may  learn 
from  your  Majesty  how  Kings  should  live,  may  they 
learn  likewise  from  your  people  how  they  should  be 
honoured.     I  am, 

"  May  it  please  your  Majesty, 

"  With  the  most  profound  respect, 
"  Your  Majesty's 
"  Most  dutiful  and  devoted, 

"  Subject  and  servant." 

In  the  summer  he  wrote  a  Prologue*  which  was  spok- 
en before  "  A  Word  to  the  Wise,"  a  comedy  by  Mr. 
Hugh  Kelly,  which  had  been  brought  upon  the  stage 
in  1770  ;  but  he  being  a  writer  for  ministry  in  one  of 
the  news-papers,  it  fell  a  sacrifice  to  popular  fury,  and, 
in  the  play-house  phrase,  was  damned.  By  the  gene- 
rosity of  Mr.  Harris,  the  proprietor  of  Covent-Garden 
theatre,  it  was  now  exhibited  for  one  night,  for  the  ben- 
efit of  the  authour's  widow  and  children.  To  conciliate 
the  favour  of  the  audience  was  the  intention  of  John- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  371 

son's  Prologue,  which  as  it  is  not  long,  I  shall  here  in-  '777. 
sert,  as  a  proof  that  his  poetical  talents  were  in  no  de-  ^'^ 
gree  impaired.  Gb. 

"  This  night  presents  a  play,  which  publick  rage, 
"  Or  right  or  wrong,  once  hooted  from  the  stage  : 
"  From  zeal  or  malice,  now  no  more  we  dread, 
"  For  English  vengeance  wars  not  with  the  dead. 
"  A  generous  foe  regards  with  pitying  eye 
*'  The  man  whom  F'ate  has  laid  where  all  must  lie. 
*'  To  wit,  reviving  from  its  authour's  dust, 
"  Be  kind,  ye  judges,  or  at  least  be  just : 
"  Let  no  renewed  hostilities  invade 
"  Th'  oblivious  grave's  inviolable  shade. 
"  Let  one  great  payment  every  claim  appease, 
"  And  him  who  cannot  hurt,  allow  to  please  ; 
"  To  please  by  scenes,  unconscious  of  offence, 
"  By  harmless  merriment,  or  useful  sense. 
"  VVhere  aught  of  bright  or  fair  the  piece  displays, 
"  Approve  it  only  ; — 'tis  too  late  to  praise. 
"  If  want  of  skill  or  want  of  care  appear, 
*'  Forbear  to  hiss ; — the  poet  cannot  hear. 
"  But  all,  like  him,  must  praise  and  blame  be  found, 
"  At  last,  a  Heeting  gleam,  or  empty  sound  ; 
"  Yet  then  shall  calm  reflection  bless  the  night, 
"  When  liberal  pity  dignified  delight; 
"  When  pleasure  fir'd  her  torch  at  virtue's  flame, 

And  mirth  was  bounty  with  an  humbler  name." 


u 


A  circumstance  which  could  not  fail  to  be  very  pleas- 
ing to  Johnson,  occurred  this  year.  The  tragedv  of 
"  Sir  Thomas  Overbury,"  written  by  his  early  compan- 
ion in  London,  Richard  Savage,  was  brought  up  with 
alterations  at  Drury-lane  theatre.  The  Prologue  to  it 
was  written  by  Mr.  Richard  Brinsley  Sheridan  ;  in  which, 
after  describing  very  pathetically  the  wretchedness  of 

"  Ill-fated  Savage,  at  whose  birth  was  giv'n 

"  No  parent  but  the  Muse,  no  friend  but  Heav'n  :'* 

he  introduced  an  elegant  compliment  to  Johnson  on  his 
Dictionary,  that  wonderful  performance  which  cannot 


379  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  be  too  often  or  too  highly  praised  ;  of  which  Mr.  Har- 

^^^^  ris,  in  his  "  Philological  Inquiries,"^  justly  and  liberally 

68.    observes,  "  Such  is  its  merit,  that  our  language  does  not 

possess  a  more  copious,   learned,  and  valuable  work." 

J'he  concluding  lines  of  this  Prologue  were  these  ; 

"  So  pleads  the  tale^  that  gives  to  future  times 
"  The  son's  misfortunes  and  the  parent's  crimes  ; 
"  There  shall  his  fame  (if  own'd  to-night)  survive, 

"  Fix'd    by    THE    HAND    THAT    BIDS    OUR    LANGUAGE 
LIVE." 

Mr.  Sheridan  here  at  once  did  honour  to  his  taste  and 
to  his  liberality  of  sentiment,  by  showing  that  he  was 
^,.  not  prejudiced  from  the  unlucky  difference  which  had 
taken  place  between  his  worthy  father  and  Dr.  John- 
son. 1  have  already  mentioned,  that  Johnson  was  very 
desirous  of  reconciliation  with  old  Mr.  Sheridan.  It 
■will,  therefore,  not  seem  at  all  surprizing  that  he  was 
zealous  in  acknowledging  the  brilliant  merit  of  his  son. 
While  it  had  as  yet  been  displayed  only  in  the  drama, 
Johnson  proposed  him  as  a  member  of  The  Literary 
Club,  observing,  that  "  He  who  has  written  the  two 
best  comedies  of  his  age,  is  surely  a  considerable  man." 
And  he  had,  accordingly,  the  honour  to  be  elected  ; 
for  an  honour  it  undoubtedly  must  be  allowed  to  be, 
when  it  is  considered  of  whom  that  society  consists, 
and  that  a  single  black  ball  excludes  a  candidate. 

"  MR.  BOSWELL  to  dr.  JOHNSON. 
"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  "  Jullj  9,  1777. 

"  For  the  health  of  my  wife  and  children  I  have 
taken  the  Httle  country-house  at  which  you  visited  my 
uncle.  Dr.  Boswell,  who,  having  lost  his  wife,  is  gone 
to  live  with  his  son.  We  took  possession  of  our  villa 
about  a  week  ago  ;  we  have  a  garden  of  three  quarters 
of  an  acre,  well  stocked  with  fruit-trees  and  flowers,  and 
gooseberries  and  currants,  and   pease  and  beans,  and 

8  Part  First,  Chap.  4. 
">  "  jpife  of  Richard  Savage,  by  Dr.  Johnson." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  378 

cabbages,  &c.  &c.  and  my  children  are  quite  happy.  i777. 
I  now  write  to  you  in  a  httle  study,  from  the  window  oi^^'^ 
which  I  see  around  mc  a  verdant  grove,  and  beyond  it   tis. 
the  lofty  mountain  called  Arthur's  Seat. 

"  Your  last  letter,  in  which  you  desire  me  to  send 
you  some  additional  information  concerning  Thomson, 
reached  me  very  fortunately  just  as  1  was  going  to  La- 
nark, to  put  my  wife's  two  nephews,  the  young  Camp- 
bells to  school  there,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Thomson, 
the  master  of  it,  whose  wife  is  sister  to  the  authour  of 
*  The  Seasons.'  She  is  an  old  woman  ;  but  her  mem- 
ory is  very  good ;  and  she  will  with  pleasure  give  me 
for  you  every  particular  that  you  wish  to  know,  and  she 
can  tell.  Pray  then  take  the  trouble  to  send  me  such 
questions  as  may  lead  to  biographical  materials.  You 
say  that  the  Life  which  we  have  of  Thomson  is  scanty. 
Since  I  received  your  letter,  I  have  read  his  Life,  pub- 
lished under  the  name  of  Cibber,  but  as  you  told  me, 
really  written  by  a  Mr.  Shiels  ;  ■  that  written  by  Mr. 
Murdoch  ;  one  prefixed  to  an  edition  of  the  "  Seasons," 
published  at  Edinburgh,  which  is  compounded  of  both, 
with  the  addition  of  an  anecdote  of  Quin's  relieving 
Thomson  from  prison  ;  the  abridgement  of  Murdoch's 
account  of  him,  in  the  '  Biographia  Britannica,'  and 
another  abridgement  of  it  in  the  '  Biographical  Diction- 
ary,' enriched  with  Dr.  Joseph  Warton's  critical  pane- 
gyrick  on  the  '  Seasons'  in  his  '  Essay  on  the  Genius 
and  Writings  of  Pope  :'  from  all  these  it  appears  to  me 
that  we  have  a  pretty  full  account  of  this  poet.  How- 
ever, you  will,  1  doubt  not,  shew  me  many  blanks,  and 
I  shall  do  what  can  be  done  to  have  them  filled  up. 
As  Thomson  never  returned  to  Scotland,  (which  you 
will  think  very  wise,)  his  sister  can  speak  from  her  own 
knowledge  only  ^  to  the  early  part  of  his  life.  She 
has  some  letters  from  him,  which  may  probably  give 
light  as  to  his  more  advanced  progress,  if  she  will  let  us 
see  them,  which  1  suppose  she  will.  I  believe  George 
Lewis  Scott-  and  Dr.  Armstrong  are  now  his  only  sur- 

'  See  p.  300,  of  this  volume. 

^  [George  Lewis  Scott,  Esq.  F.  R-  S.  an  amiable  and  learned  man,  formerly  Sub- 
preceptor  to  his  present  Majesty,  and  afterwards  appointed  a  Commissioner  of 
Exci»e.    He  died  in  1780.    M.] 


374:  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  viving  companions,  while  he  lived  in  and  about  Lon- 
^tat^  don  ;  and  they,  I  dare  say,  can  tell  more  of  him  than  is 
68.  yet  known.  My  own  notion  is,  that  Thomson  was  a 
much  coarser  man  than  his  friends  are  willing  to  ac- 
knowledge. His  '  Seasons'  are  indeed  full  of  elegant 
and  pious  sentiments  :  but  a  rank  soil,  nay  a  dunghill, 
will  produce  beautiful  flowers. 

"  Your  edition  3  of  the  '  English  Poets,'  will  be 
very  valuable,  on  account  of  the  '  Prefaces  and  Lives.' 
But  I  have  seen  a  specimen  of  an  edition  of  the  Poets 
at  the  Apollo  press,  at  Edinburgh,  which,  for  excellence 
in  printing  and  engraving,  highly  deserves  a  liberal  en- 
couragement. 

"  Most  sincerely  do  I  regret  the  bad  health  and  bad 
rest  with  which  you  have  been  afflicted  ;  and  1  hope 
you  are  better.  1  cannot  believe  that  the  prologue 
which  you  generously  gave  to  Mr.  Kelly's  widow  and 
children  the  other  day,  is  the  effusion  of  one  in  sick- 
ness and  in  disquietude  :  but  external  circumstances 
are  never  sure  indications  of  the  state  of  man.  1  send 
you  a  letter  which  I  wrote  to  you  two  years  ago  at 
Wilton  ;  and  did  not  send  it  at  the  time,  for  fear  of 
being  reproved  as  indulging  too  much  tenderness  ;  and 
one  written  to  you  at  the  tomb  of  Melancthon,  which 
I  kept  back,  lest  I  should  appear  at  once  too  supersti- 
tious and  too  enthusiastick.  I  now  imagine  that  per- 
haps they  may  please  you. 

"  You  do  not  take  the  least  notice  of  my  proposal 
for  our  meeting  at  Carlisle.*     Though  1  have  merito- 

'  [Dr.  Johnson  was  not  the  editor  of  this  Collection  of  the  English  Poets  ;  he 
merely  furnished  the  biographical  prefaces  with  which  it  is  enriched  ;  as  is  rightly 
stated  in  a  subsequent  page. 

He  indeed,  from  a  virtuous  motive  recommended  the  works  of  four  or  five  poete 
(whom  he  has  named)  to  be  added  to  the  collection  ;  but  he  is  no  otherwise  an- 
swerable for  any  which  are  found  there,  or  any  which  are  omitted. — The  poems 
of  Goldsmith  (whose  life  I  know  he  intended  to  write,  for  I  collected  some  materi- 
als for  it  by  his  desire,)  were  omitted,  in  consequence  of  a  petty  exclusive  interest 
in  some  of  them,  vested  in  Mr.  Carnan,  a  bookseller.     M.] 

*  Dr.  Johnson  had  himself  talked  of  our  seeing  Carlisle  togetlier.  High  was  a 
favourite  word  of  his  to  denote  a  person  of  rank.  He  said  to  me,  "  Sir,  I  believe 
we  may  meet  at  the  house  of  a  Roman  Catholick  lady  in  Cumberland  ;  a  high  la- 
dy. Sir."  I  afterwards  discovered  that  he  meant  Mrs.  Strickland,  sister  of  Charle* 
Townley,  Esq.  whose  very  noble  collection  of  statues  and  pictures  is  not  more  to 
be  admired,  than  his  extraordinary  and  polite  readiness  in  shewing  it,  which  I 
and  several  of  my  friende  have  agreeably  experienced.    They  who  are  possessed  of 


UR.    JOHNSON.  375 

liously  refrained  from  visiting  London  this  year,  I  ask  »777. 
you  if  it  would  not  be  wrong  that  1  should   be  two  Jj^ 
years  without  liaving  the  benefit  of  your  conversation,   gg. 
when,  if  you  couie  down  as  far  as  Derbyshire,  we  may 
meet  at  the  expence  of  a  few  days  journeying,  and  not 
many  pounds.     1  wish  you  to  see  Carlisle,  which  made 
me  mention  that  place.     But  if  you  have  not  a  desire 
to  complete  your  tour  of  the  English  cathedrals,  1  will 
take  a  larger  share  of  the  road  between  this  place  and 
Ashbourne.     So  tell  me  where  you  will  fix  for  our 
passing  a   few   days    by   ourselves.     Now  don't  cry, 
*  foolish   fellow,'  or  '  idle  dog.'     Chain  your  humour, 
and  let  your  kindness  play. 

"  You  will  rejoice  to  hear  that  Miss  Macleod,  of 
Rasay,  is  married  to  Colonel  Mure  Campbell,  an  ex- 
cellent man,  with  a  pretty  good  estate  of  his  own,  and 
the  prospect  of  having  the  Earl  of  Loudoun's  fortune 
and  honours.  Is  not  this  a  noble  lot  for  our  fair  He- 
bridean  !  How  happy  am  I  that  she  is  to  be  in  Ayr- 
shire. We  shall  have  the  Laird  of  Rasay,  and  old 
Malcolm,  and  I  know  not  how  many  gallant  Macleods, 
and  bagpipes,  &c.  &c.  at  Auchinleck.  Perhaps  you 
may  meet  them  all  there. 

"  Without  doubt  you  have  read  what  is  called 
'  The  Life  of  David  Hume,'  written  by  himself,  with 
the  letter  from  Dr.  Adam  Smith  subjoined  to  it.  Is 
not  this  an  age  of  daring  effrontery  ?  My  friend  Mr. 
Anderson,  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  at  Glas- 
gow, at  whose  house  you  and  1  supped,  and  to  vv'hose 
care  Mr.  Windham,  of  Norfolk,  was  entrusted  at  that 
University,  paid  me  a  visit  lately  ;  and  after  we  had 
talked  with  indignation  and  contempt  of  the  poisonous 
productions  with  which  this  age  is  infested,  he  said 
there  was  now  an  excellent  opportunity  for  Dr.  John- 
son to  step  forth.  I  agreed  with  him  that  you  might 
knock  Hume's  and  Smith's  heads  together,  and  make 
vain  and  ostentatious  infidelity  exceedingly  ridiculous. 

valuable  stores  of  gratification  to  persons  of  taste,  should  exercise  their  benevolence 
in  imparting  the  pleasure.  Grateful  acknowledgements  are  due  to  Welbore  Ellis 
Agar,  Esq.  for  the  liberal  access  which  he  is  pleased  to  allow  to  his  exquisite  col- 
lection of  pictures. 


376  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  Would  it  not  be  worth  your  while  to  crush  such  nox- 

^^  ious  weeds  in  the  moral  garden  ? 

r)8.  *  "  You  have  said  nothing  to  me  of  Dr.  Dodd.  I 
know  not  how  you  think  on  that  subject  ;  though  the 
news-papers  give  us  a  saying  of  your^s  in  favour  of 
mercy  to  him.  But  I  own  1  am  very  desirous  that  the 
royal  prerogative  of  remission  of  punishment,  should 
be  employed  to  exhibit  an  illustrious  instance  of  the 
regard  which  GOD'S  Vicegerent  will  ever  shew  to 
piety  and  virtue.  If  for  ten  righteous  men  the  Al- 
mighty would  have  spared  Sodom,  shall  not  a  thou- 
sand acts  of  goodness  done  by  Dr.  Dodd  counterbalance 
one  crime  1  Such  an  instance  would  do  more  to  en- 
courage goodness,  than  his  execution  would  do  to 
deter  from  vice.  I  am  not  afraid  of  any  bad  conse- 
quence to  society  ;  for  who  will  persevere  for  a  long 
course  of  years  in  a  distinguished  discharge  of  religious 
duties,  with  a  view  to  commit  a  forgery  with  impunity? 
"  Pray  make  my  best  compliments  acceptable  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thrale,  by  assuring  them  of  my  hearty 
joy  that  the  Master,  as  you  call  him,  is  alive.  1  hope 
1  shall  often  taste  his  Champagne — soberly. 

"  I  have  not  heard  from  Langton  for  a  long  time.  I 
suppose  he  is  as  usual, 

'  Studious  the  busy  moments  to  deceive.' 

"  I  remain,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate 

"  And  faithful  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell.'^ 

On  the  23d  of  June,  I  again  wrote  to  Dr.  Johnson, 
enclosing  a  ship-master's  receipt  for  a  jar  of  orange- 
marmalade,  and  a  large  packet  of  Lord  Hailes's  "Annals 
of  Scotland." 

"to  JAMES   BOSWELL,    ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  just  received  your  packet  from  Mr. 
Thrale's,  but  have  not  day-light  enough  to  look  much 
into  it.     I  am  glad  that  I  have  credit  enough  with 


DR.    JOHNSON.  377 

Lord  Hailes  to  be  trusted  with  more  copy.     1  hope  to  '777. 
take  more  care  of  it  than  of  the  last.     1  return  Mrs.  "Jj^ 
Boswell  my  atTectionate  thanks  for  her  present,  which    <)<;. 
1  value  as  a  token  of  reconciliation. 

"  Poor  Dodd  was  put  to  death  yesterday,  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  recommendation  of  the  jury, — the  petition 
of  the  city  of  London, — and  a  subsequent  petition 
signed  by  three-and-twenty  thousand  hands.  Surely 
the  voice  of  the  publick,  when  it  calls  so  loudly,  and 
calls  only  for  mercy,  ought  to  be  heard. 

"  The  saying  that  was  given  me  in  the  papers  1 
never  spoke  ;  but  1  wrote  many  of  his  petitions,  and 
some  of  his  letters.  He  applied  to  me  very  often.  He 
was,  1  am  afraid,  long  flattered  with  hopes  of  life  ;  but 
1  had  no  part  in  the  dreadful  delusion  ;  for  as  soon  as 
the  King  had  signed  his  sentence,  I  obtained  from  Mr. 
Chamier  an  account  of  the  disposition  of  the  court 
towards  him,  with  a  declaration  that  there  was  no  hope 
even  of  a  respite.  This  letter  immediately  was  laid 
before  Dodd  ;  but  he  believed  those  whom  he 
wished  to  be  right,  as  it  is  thought,  till  withi^i  three 
days  of  his  end.  He  died  with  pious  composure  and 
resolution.  1  have  just  seen  the  Ordinary  that  attended 
him.  His  address  to  his  fellow-convicts  offended  the 
Methodists  ;  but  he  had  a  Moravian  with  him  much 
of  his  time.  His  moral  character  is  very  bad  :  I  hope 
all  is  not  true  that  is  charged  upon  him.  Of  his  be- 
haviour in  prison  an  account  will  be  published. 

"  1  give  you  joy  of  your  country-house,  and  your 
pretty  garden  ;  and  hope  some  time  to  see  you  in  your 
felicity.  I  was  much  pleased  with  your  two  letters 
that  had  been  kept  so  long  in  store  ;'  and  rejoice  at 
Miss  liasay's  advancement,  and  wish  Sir  Allan  success. 

*  Since  they  have  been  so  much  honoured  by  Dr.  Johoson,  I  shall  here  insert 
them  : 

"  TO   MR.  SAMUEL  JOHNSON. 
"  MY   EVER  DEAR  AND  MOCH-RESPECTED  SIR, 

"  You  know  my  solemn  enthusiasm  of  mind  You  love  me  for  it,  and  I  respect 
myself  for  it,  because  in  so  far  I  resemble  Mr.  Johnson.  You  will  be  agreeably 
surprized,  when  you  learn  the  reason  of  my  writing  this  letter.  I  am  at  Wittem- 
berg  in  Saxony.  I  am  in  the  old  church  where  the  Reformation  was  first  preached, 
and  where  some  of  the  reformers  lie  interred.     I  rannot  resist  the  seiiouD  pleasure 

VOL.   IT.  4S 


37S  THE    LIFE    Of 

1777.       "  I  hope  to  meet  you  somewhere  towards  the  north, 
^^  but  am  loath  to  come  quite  to  Carlisle.     Can  we  not 
68.    meet  at  Manchester  1  But  we  will  settle  it  in  some 
other  letters. 

"  Mr.  Seward,^  a  great  favourite  at  Streatham,  has 
been,  1  think,  enkindled  by  our  travels,  with  a  curiosity 
to  see  the  Highlands.  1  have  given  him  letters  to  you 
and  Beattie.  He  desires  that  a  lodging  may  be  taken 
for  him  at  Edinburgh,  against  his  arrival.  He  is  just 
setting  out. 

"  Langton  has  been  exercising  the  militia.  Mrs. 
Williams  is,  1  fear,  declining.  Dr.  Lawrence  says,  he 
can  do  no  more.  She  is  gone  to  summer  in  the  coun- 
try, with  as  many  conveniencies  about  her  as  she  can 


of  writing  to  Mr.  Johnson  from  the  tomb  of  Melancthon.  My  paper  rests  upon 
the  grave-stone  of  that  great  and  good  man,  who  was  undoubtedly  the  worthiest 
of  all  the  reformers.  He  wished  to  reform  abuses  which  had  been  introduced  into 
the  Church  ;  but  had  no  private  resentment  to  gratify.  So  mild  was  he,  that 
when  his  aged  mother  consulted  him  with  anxiety  on  the  perplexing  disputes  of 
the  times,  he  advised  her  '  to  keep  to  the  old  religion.'  At  this  tomb,  then,  my 
ever  dear  and  respected  friend  !  I  vow  to  thee  an  eternal  attachment.  It  shall 
be  my  study  to  do  what  I  can  to  render  your  life  happy  :  and  if  you  die  before 
me,  I  shall  endeavour  to  do  honour  to  your  memory  ;  and,  elevated  by  the  remem- 
brance of  you,  persist  in  noble  piety.  May  God,  the  father  of  all  beings,  ever 
bless  you  !  and  may  you  continue  to  love 

"  Your  most  affectionate  friend,  and  devoted  sei'vant, 
"  Sunday,  Sept.  30,  1764.  "  James  Boswell." 

"  TO  DR.  SAMUEL  JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  "  Wilton-Hoiise,  April  22,  1775. 

"  Every  scene  of  my  life  confirms  the  truth  of  what  you  have  told  me, 
'  there  is  no  certain  happiness  in  this  state  of  being.' — I  am  here,  amidst  all  that 
you  know  is  at  Lord  Pembroke's  ;  and  yet  I  am  weary  and  gloomy.  I  am  just 
setting  out  for  the  house  of  an  old  friend  in  Devonshire,  and  shall  not  get  back  to 
London  for  a  week  yet.  You  said  to  me  last  Good-Friday,  with  a  cordiality  that 
warmed  my  heart,  that  if  I  came  to  settle  in  London  we  should  have  a  day  fixed  ev- 
ery week,  to  meet  by  ourselves  and  talk  freely.  To  be  thought  worthy  of  such  a 
privilege  cannot  but  exalt  me.  During  my  present  absence  from  you,  while,  not- 
withstanding the  gaiety  which  you  allow  me  to  possess,  I  am  darkened  by  tempo- 
rary cleiuds,  I  beg  to  have  a  few  Unes  from  you  ;  a  few  lines  merely  of  kindness, 
as  a  ■viaticum  till  I  see  you  again.  In  your  '  Vanity  of  Human  Wishes,'  and  in  Par- 
uell's  '  Contentment,'  I  find  the  only  sure  means  of  enjoying  happiness  ;  or,  at  least, 
the  hopes  of  happiness.     I  ever  am,  with  reverence  and  affection. 

Most  faithfully  your's, 

"  James  Boswell." 

''  William  Seward,  Esq.  F.  R.  S.  editor  of  "  Anecdotes  of  some  distinguished  per- 
sons,"&c.  in  four  volumes,  8vo.  well  known  to  a  numerous  and  valuable  acquaint- 
ance for  his  literature,  love  of  the  line  arts  and  social  virtues.  I  am  indebted  to 
him  for  several  communications  concerning  Johnson. 

[This  gentleman,  who  was  born  in  1 747,  and  was  educated  at  the  Charter-House, 
and  at  Oxford,  died  in  London,  April  24,  1799.     M.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  379 

expect  ;  but  I  have  no  great  hope.     We  must  all  die  :  1777. 
may  we  all  be  prepared  !  ^CtaT 

"  1  suppose  Miss  IJoswell  reads  her  book,  andyounj^   ok. 
Alexander  takis  to  his  learning.     Let  me  hear  about 
them  ;  tor  every  thing  that  belongs  to  you,  belongs  in 
a  more   remote  degree,  and  not,   1  hope,  very  remote, 
to,  dear  Sir,  vours  affectionately, 

"  June  28,  1777-  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

TO  THE  SAME. 
"    DEAR  SIR, 

"  This  gentleman  is  a  great  favourite  at  Streat- 
ham,  and  therefore  you  will  easily  believe  that  he  has 
very  valuable  qualities.  Our  narrative  has  kindled  him 
with  a  desire  of  visiting  the  Highlands  after  having 
already  seen  a  great  part  of  Europe.  You  must  receive 
him  as  a  friend,  and  when  you  have  directed  him  to 
the  curiosities  of  Edinburgh,  give  him  instructions  and 
recommendations  for  the  rest  of  his  journey.  I  am, 
dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
"  June  24,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

Johnson's  benevolence  to  the  unfortunate  was,  I  am 
confident,  as  steady  and  active  as  that  of  any  of  those 
who  have  been  most  eminently  distinguished  for  that 
virtue.  Innumerable  proofs  of  it  1  have  no  doubt  will 
be  for  ever  concealed  from  mortal  eyes.  We  may, 
however,  form  some  judgement  of  it,  from  the  many 
and  very  various  instances  which  have  been  discovered. 
One,  which  happened  in  the  course  of  this  summer,  is 
remarkable  from  the  name  and  connection  of  the  per- 
son who  was  the  object  of  it.  The  circumstance  to 
which  I  allude  is  ascertained  by  two  letters,  one  to 
Mr.  Langton,  and  another  to  the  Reverend  Dr.  \yse, 
rector  of  Lambeth,  son  of  the  respectable  clergyman  at 
Lichfield,  who  was  contemporary  with  Johnson,  and  in 
whose  father's  family  Johnson  had  the  happiness  of 
being  kindly  received  in  his  early  years. 


330  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  «    pjj    JOHNSON    TO    BENNET    LANGTON,  ESQ. 

"    DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  HAVE  lately  been  much  disordered  by  a  diffi- 
culty of  breathing,  but  am  now  better.  I  hope  your 
house  is  well. 

"  You  know  we  have  been  talking  lately  of  St. 
Cross,  at  Winchester  ;  1  have  an  old  acquaintance 
■whose  distress  makes  him  very  desirous  of  an  hospital, 
and  I  am  afraid  I  have  not  strength  enough  to  get  him 
into  the  Chartreux.  He  is  a  painter,  who  never  rose 
higher  than  to  get  his  immediate  living,  and  from  that, 
at  eighty-three,  he  is  disabled  by  a  slight  stroke  of  the 
palsy,  such  as  does  not  make  him  at  all  helpless  on 
common  occasions,  though  his  hand  is  not  steady 
enough  for  his  art. 

"  My  request  is,  that  you  will  try  to  obtain  a  prom- 
ise of  the  next  vacancy,  from  the  Bishop  of  (Chester. 
It  is  not  a  great  thing  to  ask,  and  I  hope  we  shall  obtain 
it.  Dr.  Warton  has  promised  to  favour  him  with  his 
notice,  and  I  hope  he  may  end  his  days  in  peace.  I 
am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Jmie  29,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"    TO  THE  REVEREND    DR.  VYSE,    AT  LAMBETH. 
"    SIR, 

"  I  DOUBT  not  but  you  will  readily  forgive  me  for 
taking  the  liberty  of  requesting  your  assistance  in  rec- 
ommending an  old  friend  to  his  Grace  the  iVrchbishop 
as  Governour  of  the  Charter-house. 

''  His  name  is  De  Groot  ;  he  was  born  at  Glouces- 
ter ;  I  have  known  him  many  years.  He  has  all  the 
cornmon  claims  to  charity,  being  old,  poor,  and  infirm 
in  a  great  degree.  He  has  likewise  another  claim,  to 
which  no  scholar  can  refuse  attention  ;  he  is  by  sever- 
al descents  the  nephew  of  Hugo  Grotius  ;  of  him, 
from  whoni  perhaps  every  man  of  learning  has  learnt 
something.      Let  it  not  be  said  that  in  any  lettered 


DR.    JOHNSON.  381 

rountry  a  nephew  of  Grotius  asked  a  charity  and  was  i???. 
refused.     I  am,  reverend  Sir,  ^uit. 

"  Your  most  humble  servant,  68. 

"  Ju/i/  9,  1777.  "  ^AM.  Johnston, 


..-  " 


["to  the  reverend    dr.  VYSE,  at  LAMBETH. 

"If  any  notice  should  be  taken  of  the  recom- 
meiidation  which  I  took  the  liberty  of  sending  you,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  know  that  Mr.  De  Groot  is  to  be 
found  at  No.  8,  in  Pye-street,  Westminster.  This  in- 
formation, when  1  wrote,  1  could  not  give  you  ;  and 
being  going  soon  to  Lichfield,  think  it  necessary  to  be 
left  behind  me. 

"  More  1  will  not  say.     You  will  want  no  persuasion 
to  succour  the  nephew  of  Grotius. 
"  1  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
-  Juii/  22,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson.''] 

"    the  reverend    dr.  VYSE   TO  MR.  BOSWELL. 

"  SIR,  Lambeth,  June  9,  1787- 

"  I  HAVE  searched  in  vain  for  the  letter  which  1 
spoke  of,  and  which  1  wished,  at  your  desire,  to  com- 
municate to  you.  It  was  from  Dr.  Johnson,  to  return 
me  thanks  for  my  application  ito  Archbishop  Corn- 
wallis  in  favour  of  poor  De  Groot.  He  rejoices  at  the 
success  it  met  with,  and  is  lavish  in  the  praise  he 
bestows  upon  his  favourite,  Hugo  Grotius.  1  am 
really  sorry  that  1  cannot  find  this  letter,  as  it  is  worthy 
of  the  writer.  That  which  I  send  you  enclosed,^  is  at 
your  service.  It  is  very  short,  and  will  not  perhaps  be 
thought  of  any  consequence,  unless  you  should  judge 
proper  to  consider  it  as  a  proof  of  the  very  humane 
part  which  Dr.  Johnson  took  in  behalf  of  a  distressed 
and  deserving  person.     I  am.  Sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

"  W.  Vyse."^ 

■  Tlie  preceding  letter. 

•  [Dr,  Vyse,  at  my  request,  was  so  obliging  as  once  mpre  to  endeavour  to  rccov- 
f  r  the  letter  of  Johnson,  to  which  h?  alludes,  but  without  success ;  for  April  20, 


3S2  XHE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  a    pjj     JOHNSON  TO  MR.  EDWARD  DILLY. 

C8.  ^^^\ 

"  To  the  collection  of  English  Poets  I  have  rec- 
ommended the  volume  of  Dr.  Watts  to  be  added  ;  his 
name  has  long  been  held  by  me  in  veneration,  and  I 
would  not  willingly  be  reduced  to  tell  of  him  only 
that  he  was  born  and  died.  Yet  of  his  life  1  know 
very  little,  and  therefore  must  pass  him  in  a  manner 
very  unworthy  of  his  character,  unless  some  of  his 
friends  will  favour  me  with  the  necessary  information  ; 
many  of  them  must  be  known  to  you  ;  and  by  your 
influence  perhaps  I  may  obtain  some  instruction  :  My 
plan  does  not  exact  much  ;  but  1  wish  to  distinguish 
Watts,  a  man  who  never  wrote  but  for  a  good  purpose. 
Be  pleased  to  do  for  me  what  you  can.     1  am,  Sir, 

"  Your  humble  servant, 
"  Bolt-Court^  Fleet-street,  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

Julif  7,  1777- 

"  TO  DR.  SAMUEL  JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Edinburgh,  Julif  15,   1777- 

"  The  fate  of  poor  Dr.  Dodd  made  a  dismal  im- 
pression upon  my  mind. 

tIp  tIf  t^  t^c  ^^  t|F 

"  I  had  sagacity  enough  to  divine  that  you  wrote  his 
speech  to  the  Recorder,  before  sentence  was  pronounc- 
ed. 1  am  glad  you  have  written  so  much  for  him  ;  and 
I  hope  to  be  favoured  with  an  exact  list  of  the  several 
pieces,  when  we  meet. 

"  1  received  Mr.  Seward  as  the  friend  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Thrale,  and  as  a  gentleman  recommended  by  Dr. 
Johnson  to  my  attention.  1  have  introduced  him  to 
Lord  Kames,  Lord  Monboddo,  and  Mr.  Nairne.  He  is 
gone  to  the  Highlands  with  Dr.  Gregory  ;  when  he  re- 
turns, 1  shall  do  more  for  him. 

"  Sir  Allan  Maclean   has  carried  that  branch  of  his 

1800,  he  wrote  to  me  thus  :  "  I  have  again  searched,  hut  in  vain,  for  one  of  his  let- 
ters, in  which  he  speaks  in  his  own  nervous  style  of  Hugo  Grotius. — De  Groot 
was  clearly  a  descendant  of  the  family  of  Grotius,  and  Archbishop  Cornwallis 
willingly  complied  with  Dr.  Johnson's  retjuest."     M.] 


DR.    JOHNSOX.  383 

cause,  of  whicli  we  had  good  hopes  :  the  President  and  1777. 
one  other  Judge  only  were  against  hiui.     1   wish  the  ^^ 
House  of  Lords  may  do  as  well  as  the  Court  of  Session    tiiB. 
lias  done.      IJiit  .Sir  Allan   has  not  the  lands  of  Brulos 
quite  cleared  bv  this  judgement,  till  a  long  accoimt  is 
nnide  up  of  debts  and  interests  on  the  one  side,   and 
rents  on  the  other.     1  am,  h<nvever,  not  much  afraid  of 
the  balance. 

"  Macipiarry's  estates,  Stallli  and  all,  were  sold  yes- 
terday, and  bought  by  a  Campbell.  1  fear  he  will  have 
little  or  nothing  left  out  of  the  purchase  money, 

'•  1  seiul  you  the  case  against  the  negro,  by  Mr.  Cul- 
len,  si^tii  to  Dr.  Cullen,  in  opposition  to  Maclaurin's  for 
liberty,  of  which  you  have  approved.  Pray  read  this, 
and  tell  me  what  you  think  as  a  Po/iticiati,  as  well  as  a 
/W,  upon  the  subject. 

"  Be  so  kind  as  to  let  me  know  how  your  time  is  to  be 
distributed  next  autumn.  I  will  meet  you  at  Manches- 
ter, or  where  you  please  ;  but  I  wish  you  would  com- 
plete your  tour  of  the  cathedrals,  and  come  to  Carlisle, 
and  I  will  accompany  you  a  part  of  the  way  homewards. 
1  am  ever, 

"  Most  faithfully  yours, 

"  JaiMEs  Boswell." 

"  to  james  boswell,  esq. 

"  DEAR  SIR, 

'•  Your  notion  of  the  necessity  of  an  yearly  inter- 
view is  very  pleasing  to  both  my  vanity  and  tenderness. 
1  shall,  perhaps,  come  to  Carlisle  another  year ;  but  my 
money  has  not  held  out  so  well  as  it  used  to  do.  I 
shall  go  to  Ashbourne,  and  1  purpose  to  make  Dr.  Tay- 
lor invite  you.  If  you  live  awhile  with  me  at  his  house, 
we  shall  have  much  time  to  ourselves,  and  our  stay  will 
be  no  expence  to  us  or  him.  1  shall  leave  J.ondon 
the  28th  ;  and  after  some  stay  at  Oxford  and  J^ichfield, 
shall  probably  come  to  Ashbourne  about  the  end  of 
your  Session  ;  but  of  all  this  you  shall  have  notice.  Be 
satisfied  we  will  meet  samewhere. 


! 


384  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.      ti  \^hat  passed  between  me  and  poor  Dr.  Dodd,  you 
2J^  shall  know  more  fully  when  we  meet. 
68.        "  Of  law-suits  there  is  no  end  ;  poor  Sir  Allan  must 
have  another  trial,  for  which,  however,  his  antagonist 
||  cannot  be  much  blamed,  having  two  Judges  on  his  side. 

I  am  more  afraid  of  the  debts  than  of  the  House  of  Lords. 
It  is  scarcely  to  be  imagined  to  what  debts  will  swell, 
that  are  daily  increasing  by  small  additions,  and  how 
carelessly  in  a  state  of  desperation  debts  are  contracted. 
Poor  Macquarry  was  far  from  thinking  that  when  he 
sold  his  islands  he  should  receive  nothing.  For  what 
ii  were  they  sold  ?  And  what  was  their  yearly  value  ?  The 

f!  admission   of  money  into  the  Highlands  will  soon  put 

an  end  to  the  feudal  modes  of  life,  by  making  those 
men  landlords  who  were  not  chiefs.  1  do  not  know  that 
the  people  will  suffer  by  the  change  ;  but  there  was  in 
the  patriarchal  authority  something  venerable  and  pleas- 
ing. Every  eye  must  look  with  pain  on  a  Campbell 
turning  the  Macquarries  at  will  out  of  their  sedes  avitce, 
their  hereditary  island. 

"  Sir  Alexander  Dick  is  the  only  Scotsman  liberal 
enough  not  to  be  angry  that  1  could  not  find  trees, 
where  trees  were  not.  1  was  much  delighted  by  his  kind 
letter. 

"  1  remember  Rasay  with  too  much  pleasure  not  to 
partake  of  the  happiness  of  any  part  of  that  amiable 
family.  Our  ramble  in  the  islands  hangs  upon  my  im- 
agination, I  can  hardly  help  imagining  that  we  shall  go 
again.  Pennant  seems  to  have  seen  a  great  deal  which 
we  did  not  see  :  When  we  travel  again,  let  us  look  bet- 
ter about  us. 

"  You  have  done  right  in  taking  your  uncle's  house. 
Some  change  in  the  form  of  life,  gives  from  time  to  time 
a  new  epocha  of  existence.  In  a  new  place  there  is 
something  new  to  be  done,  and  a  different  system  of 
thoughts  rises  in  the  mind.  I  wish  1  could  gather  cur- 
rants in  your  garden.  Now  fit  up  a  little  study,  and 
have  your  books  ready  at  hand  ;  do  not  spare  a  little 
money,  to  make  your  habitation  pleasing  to  yourself. 

"  I  have  dined  lately  with  poor  dear .     I  do 

not  think  he  oroes  on  well.     His  table  is  rather  coarse. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  3SS 

and  he  has  his  children  too  much  about  him.'     But  he  1777. 
is  a  very  good  man.  yEiaf 

"  Mrs.  Wilhams  is  in  the  country,  to  try  if  she  can  (>«.  * 
improve  her  health  ;  she  is  very  ill.  Matters  have  come 
so  about,  that  she  is  in  the  country  with  very  good  ac- 
comnKMJation  ;  but  age,  and  sickness,  and  pride,  have 
made  her  so  peevish  that  1  was  forced  to  bribe  tlie  maid 
to  stay  with  her,  by  a  secret  stipulation  of  half  a  crown 
a  week  over  her  wages, 

"  Our  Club  ended  its  session  about  six  weeks  ago. 
We  now  only  meet  to  dine  once  a  fortnight.  Mr.  Dun- 
ning, the  great  lawyer,  is  one  of  our  members.  The 
Thrales  arc  well. 

"  1  long  to  know  how  the  Negro's  cause  will  be  de- 
cided.    What  is  the  opinion  of  Lord  Auchinleck,   or 
Lord  Hailes,  or  Lord  Monboddo  I  1  am,  dear  Sir, 
"  Your  most  affectionate,  &c. 

"  Juif/  29,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson. 


}j 


"  DR.  JOHNSOX,  TO  MRS.  BOSWELL. 
"  MADAM, 

"  Though  I  am  well  enough  pleased  with  the 
taste  of  sweetmeats,  very  little  of  the  pleasure  which  I 
received  at  the  arrival  of  your  jar  of  marmalade  arose 
from  eating  it.  I  received  it  as  a  token  of  friendship, 
as  a  proof  of  reconciliation,  things  much  sweeter  than 
sweetmeats,  and  upon  this  consideration  1  return  you, 
dear  Madam,  my  sincerest  thanks.  By  having  your 
kindness  I  think  1  have  a  double  security  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  Mr.  BoswelTs,  which  it  is  not  to  be  expect- 
ed that  any  man  can  long  keep,  when  the  influence  of 
a  lady  so  highly  and  so  justly  valued  operates  against 
him.  Mr.  Boswell  will  tell  you  that  I  was  always  faith- 
ful to  your  interest,  and  always  endeavoured  to  exalt 

»  This  very  just  remark  I  hope  will  be  constantly  held  in  remembrance  by  pa- 
rents, who  are  in  general  too  apt  to  indulge  their  own  fond  feelings  for  their  chil- 
dren at  the  expence  of  their  friends.  The  common  custom  of  introducing  them 
after  dinner  is  highly  injudicious.  It  is  agreeable  enough  that  they  bhould  ap[iear 
at  any  other  time ;  but  they  should  not  be  suffered  to  poison  the  moments  ol  les- 
tivity  by  attracting  the  attention  of  the  company,  and  in  a  manner  compelliflg 
them  from  politeness  to  say  what  they  do  not  thisk. 

VOL.  IT.  %9 


3S6  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  you  in  his  estimation.     You  must  now  do  the  same  for 
^^  me.    We  must  all  help  one  another,  and  you  must  now 
6ij.    consider  me  as,  dear  Madam, 

"  Your  most  obliged 
"  And  most  humble  servant, 
"  July  22,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson/' 

"  MK.  BOSWELL  TO  DR.  JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Edinburgh^  July  28,  1777> 

"  This  is  the  day  on  which  you  were  to  leave  Lon- 
don, and  I  have  been  amusing  myself  in  the  intervals  of 
my  law-drudgery,  with  figuring  you  in  the  Oxford  post- 
coach.  1  doubt,  however,  if  you  have  had  so  merry  a 
journey  as  you  and  I  had  in  that  vehicle  last  year,  when 
you  made  so  much  sport  with  Gwyn,  the  architect. 
Incidents  upon  a  journey  are  recollected  with  peculiar 
])Ieasure  ;  they  are  preserved  in  brisk  spirits,  and  come 
up  again  in  our  minds,  tinctured  with  that  gaiety,  or 
at  least  that  animation  with  which  we  first  perceived 

them.^^ 

****** 

[1  added,  that  something  had  occurred,  which  I  was 
afraid  might  prevent  me  from  meeting  him  ;  and  that 
my  wife  had  been  affected  with  complaints  which  threat- 
ened a  consumption,  but  was  now  better.] 

*'  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,   ESQ. 
"    DEAR  SIR, 

"  Do  not  disturb  yourself  about  our  interviews ;  I 
hope  we  shall  have  many  ;  nor  think  it  any  thing  hard 
or  unusual,  that  your  design  of  meeting  me  is  interrupt- 
ed. We  have  both  endured  greater  evils,  and  have 
greater  evils  to  expect. 

"  Mrs.  Bosvvell's  illness  makes  a  more  serious  dis- 
tress. Does  the  blood  rise  from  her  lungs  or  from  her 
stomach  ?  From  little  vessels  broken  in  the  stomach 
there  is  no  danger.  Blood  from  the  lungs  is,  1  believe, 
always  frothy,  as  mixed  with  wind.  Your  physicians 
know  very  well  what  is  to  be  done.     The  loss  of  such  a 


OR.    JOHNSON.  387 

lady  would,  indeed,  be  very  afflictive,  and  I  hope  she  is  '777. 
in  no  danger.  Take  care  to  keep  licr  mind  as  easy  as  ^^[^ 
is  possible.  (jy. 

"  1  iia\  e  left  Langton  in  London.  He  has  been  down 
with  the  militia,  and  is  again  quiet  at  home,  talking  to 
his  little  people,  as,  1  suppose  you  do  sometimes.  Make 
my  compliments  to  Miss  Veronica.'  The  rest  are  too 
young  for  ceremony. 

"  1  cannot  but  hope  that  you  have  taken  your  coun- 
try-house at  a  very  seasonable  time,  and  that  it  may 
conduce  to  restore  or  establish  Mrs.  BoswelTs  health, 
as  well  as  provide  room  and  exercise  for  the  young 
ones.  That  you  and  your  lady  may  both  be  happy, 
and  long  enjoy  your  happiness,  is  the  sincere  and  earnest 
wish  of,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most,  &c. 
'' Oxford,  Aug.  4,  1777-  "Sam.  Johxson. 


)y 


"  MR.    BOSWELL    TO    DR.   JOHNSON. 

[Informing  him  that  my  wife  had  continued  to  grow 
better,  so  that  my  alarming  apprehensions  were  reliev- 
ed ;  and  that  1  hoped  to  disengage  myself  from  the  oth- 
er embarrassment  which  had  occurred,  and  therefore 
requesting  to  know  particularly  when  he  intended  to 
be  at  Ashbourne.] 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  1  AM  this  day  come  to  Ashbourne,  and  have  on- 
ly to  tell  you,  that  Dr.  Taylor  says  you  shall  be  wel- 
come to  him,  and  you  know  how  welcome  you  will  be 
to  me.  Make  haste  to  let  me  know  when  you  may  be 
expected. 

"  Make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Boswell,  and  tell 
her,  1  hope  we  shall  be  at  variance  no  more.  1  am, 
dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Aug.  30,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

'  [This  young  lady,  the  author's  eldest  daughter,  and  at  this  time  about  five 
years  old,  died  in  Londen,  of  a  cunsumption,  four  piontht  after  her  father,  Sept. 
26,  1795.     M.] 


3SS  THE    LIFE    OF 


1777. 

iEtat. 
68. 


TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 


(( 


DEAR  SIR, 

"  On  Saturday  I  wrote  a  very  short  letter,  imme- 
diately upon  my  arrival  hither,  to  shew  you  that  1  am 
not  less  desirous  of  the  interview  than  yourself.  Life 
admits  not  of  delays ;  when  pleasure  can  be  had,  it  is 
fit  to  catch  it :  Every  hour  takes  away  part  of  the  things 
that  please  us,  and  perhaps  part  of  our  disposition  to  be 
pleased.  When  1  came  to  Lichfield,  1  found  my  old 
friend  Harry  Jackson  dead.  It  was  a  loss,  and  a  loss 
not  to  be  repaired,  as  he  was  one  of  the  companions  of 
my  childhood  1  hope  we  may  long  continue  to  gain 
friends  ;  but  the  friends  which  merit  or  usefulness  can 
procure  us,  are  not  able  to  supply  the  place  of  old  ac- 
quaintance, with  whom  the  days  of  youth  may  be  re- 
traced, and  those  images  revived  which  gave  the  earliest 
delight.  Jf  you  and  1  live  to  be  much  older,  we  shall 
take  great  delight  in  talking  over  the  Hebridean  Jour- 
ney. 

"  In  the  mean  time  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  contrive 
some  other  little  adventure,  but  what  it  can  be  1  know 
not ;  leave  it,  as  Sidney  says, 

'  To  virtue,  fortune,  time,  and  woman's  breast  ;'- 

^  [By  an  odd  mistake,  in  the  first  three  editions  we  find  a  reading  in  this  line,  to 
which  Dr.  Johnson  would  by  no  means  have  subscribed ;  iv'me  having  been  sub- 
stituted for  time.  That  errour  probably  was  a  mistake  in  the  transcript  of  John- 
son's original  letter,  his  hand-writing  being  often  very  difficult  to  read.  The 
other  deviation  in  the  beginning  of  the  line  (virtue  instead  of  nature)  must  be  at- 
tributed to  his  memory  having  deceived  him  ;  and  therefore  has  not  been  disturbed. 

The  verse  quoted,  is  the  concluding  line  of  a  sonnet  of  Sidney's,  of  which  the 
earliest  copy,  I  believe,  is  found  in  Harrington's  translation  of  Ariosto,  1591,  in 
tlie  notes  on  the  eleventh  book  : — "  And  therefore,"  says  he,  "  that  excellent  verse 
of  Sir  Philip  Sidney  in  his  first  Arcadia,  (which  I  know  not  by  what  mishap  is 
left  out  in  the  printed  booke,)  [4to.  1590,]  is  in  mine  opinion  woxthie  to  be  praised 
and  followed,  to  make  a  good  and  virtuous  wife  : 

"  Who  doth  desire  that  chast  his  wife  should  bee, 

"  First  be  he  true,  for  truth  doth  truth  deserve  ; 
"  Then  be  he  such,  as  she  his  worth  may  see, 

"  And,  alwaies  one,  credit  with  her  preserve  ; 

"  Not  toying  kynd,  nor  causelessly  unkjTid, 

"  Not  stirring  thoughts,  nor  yet  denying  right, 
"  Not  spying  faults,  nor  in  piaine  errors  blind, 

"  Never  hard  hand,  nor  ever  rayns  [reins]  too  ligli^  ; 


DR.    JOHNSON.  389 

tbr  I  believe  Mrs.  Boswell  must  have  some  part  in  the  1777. 
consultation.  ^lat! 

"  One  thing  you  will  like.  The  Doctor,  so  far  as  1  (is. 
can  judge,  is  likely  to  leave  us  enough  to  ourselves. 
He  was  out  to-day  before  1  came  down,  and,  1  fancy, 
will  stay  out  to  dinner.  1  have  brought  the  papers 
about  poor  Dodd,  to  show  you,  but  you  will  soon  have 
dispatched  them. 

"  Before  1  came  away,  I  sent  poor  Mrs.  Williams  into 
the  country,  very  ill  of  a  pituitous  defliixion,  which 
wastes  her  gradually  away,  and  which  her  physician  de- 
clares himself  unable  to  stop.  1  supplied  her  as  far  as 
could  be  desired,  with  all  conveniences  to  make  her  ex- 
cursion and  abode  pleasant  and  useful.  But  I  am  afraid 
she  can  only  linger  a  short  time  in  a  morbid  state  of 
weakness  and  pain. 

"  The  Thrales,  little  and  great,  are  all  well,  and  pur- 
pose to  go  to  Brighthelmstone  at  Michaelmas.  They 
will  invite  me  to  go  with  them,  and  perhaps  1  may  go, 
but  I  hardly  think  I  shall  like  to  stay  the  whole  time  ; 
but  of  futurity  we  know  but  little. 

"  Mrs.  Porter  is  well  ;  but  Mrs.  Aston,  one  of  the 
ladies  at  Stowhill,  has  been  struck  with  a  palsy,  from 
which  she  is  not  likely  ever  to  recover.  How  soon  may 
such  a  stroke  fall  upon  us  ! 

"  As  far  from  want,  as  far  from  vaine  expence, 

"  Th'  one  doth  enforce,  the  t'other  doth  entice : 
"  Allow  good  companie,  but  drive  from  thence 

"  All  filthie  mouths  that  glorie  in  their  vice : 

"  This  done,  thou  hast  no  more  but  leave  the  rest 
"  To  nature,  fortune,  time,  and  woman's  breast." 

I  take  this  opportunity  to  add,  that  in  England's  Parnassus,  a  collection  of 
poetry  printed  in  1 600,  the  second  couplet  of  this  soimet  is  tlius  corruptly  exhib- 
ited : 

"  Then  he  be  such  as  Le  his  ivords  may  see, 
"  And  alwaies  one  credit  lubich  her  presei-ve  : 

a  variation,  which  I  the  rather  mention,  because  the  readings  of  that  book  have 
been  triumphantly  quoted,  when  they  happened  to  coincide  with  the  sophistica- 
tions of  the  SECOND  Folio  edition  of  Shakspeare's  plays  in  lfi32,  as  adding  I  know  . 
not  what  degree  of  authority  and  authenticity  to  the  latter  :  as  if  the  corruptions 
of  one  book  (and  that  abounding  with  the  grossest  falsifications  of  the  authours 
from  whose  works  its  extracts  are  made)  could  give  any  kind  of  support  to  another, 
which  in  every  page  is  still  more  adulterated  and  unfaithful.     M.j 


390  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.      «  Write  to  me,  and  let  us  know  when  we  may  ex- 
^JJ^  pect  you.     I  am,  dear  Sir, 
68.  "  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"  Ashbourne^  Sept.  1,   1777-         "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"    MR.    BOSWELL     TO    DR.   JOHNSON. 

"  Ed'mburgh,  Sept.  6,   1777. 

[After  informing  him  that  I  was  to  set  out  next 
day,  in  order  to  meet  him  at  Ashbourne  : — ] 

"  1  have  a  present  for  you  from  Lord  Hailes  ;  the 
fifth  book  of  '  Lactantius,^  which  he  has  published 
with  Latin  notes.  He  is  also  to  give  you  a  few  anec- 
dotes for  your  '  Life  of  Thomson,'  who  I  find  was 
private  tutor  to  the  present  Earl  of  Haddington,  Lord 
Hailes's  cousin,  a  circumstance  not  mentioned  by  Dr. 
Murdoch.  1  have  keen  expectations  of  delight  from 
your  edition  of  the  English  Poets.  ^ 

"  1  am  sorry  for  poor  Mrs.  Williams's  situation. 
You  will,  however,  have  the  comfort  of  reflecting  on 
your  kindness  to  her.  Mr.  Jackson's  death,  and  Mrs. 
Aston's  palsy,  are  gloomy  circumstances.  Yet  surely 
we  should  be  habituated  to  the  uncertainty  of  life  and 
health.  When  my  mind  is  unclouded  by  melancholy, 
I  consider  the  temporary  distresses  of  this  state  of 
being,  as  "  light  afflictions,"  by  stretching  my  mental 
view  into  that  glorious  after-existence,  when  they  will 
appear  to  be  as  nothing.  But  present  pleasures  and 
present  pains  must  be  felt.  1  lately  read  '  llasselas' 
over  again  with  great  satisfaction. 

"  Since  you  are  desirous  to  hear  about  Macquarry's 
sale,  I  shall  inform  you  particularly.  The  gentleman 
who  purchased  Ulva,  is  Mr.  Campbell,  of  Auchnaba  : 
our  friend  Macquarry  was  proprietor  of  two-thirds  of 
it,  of  which  the  rent  was  I06I.  os.  l^d.  This  parcel 
was  set  up  at  4,069l.  5s.  id.  but  it  sold  for  no  less  than 
5,5401.  The  other  third  of  Ulva,  with  the  island  of 
Staffa,  belonged  to  Macquarry  of  Ormaig.  its  rent, 
including  that  of  Staffa,  83l.  12s.  Sid.— set  up  at  91781. 

•■  [Sec  p.  374,  n.     M] 


DK.    JOHNSON.  ."^Ql 

l6s.  4(1. — sold  for  no  less  than  3, .3401.  The  Laird  of  1 777. 
Col  wished  to  purchase  Ulva,  but  he  thought  the  price  ^j^ 
too  high.  There  may,  indexed,  be  great  improvenunts  (]8. 
made  there,  both  in  lishing  and  agriculture  ;  but  the 
interest  of  the  purchase-money  exceeds  the  rent  so 
very  much,  that  I  doubt  if  the  bargain  will  be  profita- 
ble. There  is  an  island  called  J^ittle  Colonsay,  of  lOl. 
yearly  rent,  which  1  am  informed  has  belonged  to  the 
Macquarrys  of  L'lva  for  many  ages,  but  which  was 
lately  claimed  by  the  Presbyterian  Synod  of  Argyll,  in 
consequence  of  a  grant  made  to  them  by  Queen  Anne. 
It  is  believed  that  their  claim  will  be  dismissed,  and 
that  Little  Colonsay  will  also  be  sold  for  the  advantage 
of  iNIacquarry's  creditors.  What  think  you  of  purchas- 
ing this  island,  and  endowing  a  school  or  college  there, 
the  master  to  be  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land I  How  venerable  would  such  an  institution  make 
the  name  of  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  in  the  Hebrides  ! 
I  have,  like  yourself,  a  wonderful  pleasure  in  recollect- 
ing our  travels  in  those  islands.  The  pleasure  is,  I 
think,  greater  than  it  reasonably  should  be,  consider- 
ing that  we  had  not  much  either  of  beauty  or  elegance 
to  charm  our  imaginations,  or  of  rude  novelty  to  aston- 
ish. Let  us,  by  all  means,  have  another  expedition. 
I  shrink  a  little  from  our  scheme  of  going  up  the 
Baltick.*     1  am  sorry  you  have  already  been  in  Wales  ; 

*  It  appears  that  Johnson,  now  in  his  sixty-eighth  year,  was  seriously  inclined  to 
realize  the  project  of  our  going  up  the  Baltick,  whicli  I  had  started  when  we  were 
in  the  isle  of  Sky  ;  for  he  thus  writes  to  Mrs.  Thrale  ;  Letters,  Vol.  I.  page  366  : 

"  Ashbourne,  .Sept.  13,  1777. 
"  BOSWELL,  I  believe,  is  coming.  He  talks  of  being  here  to-day  :  I  shall 
he  glad  to  see  him  :  but  he  shrinks  from  the  Baltick  expedition,  which,  I  think,  is 
the  best  scheme  in  our  power  :  what  we  shall  substitute,  I  know  not.  He  wants 
to  see  Wales ;  but,  except  the  woods  of  Bacbycraigb,  what  is  there  in  Wales,  that 
can  fill  the  hunger  of  ignorance,  or  quench  the  thirst  of  curiosity  ?  We  may,  per- 
haps, form  some  scheme  or  other :  but,  in  the  phrase  of  HockUy  in  the  Hole,  it  is 
pity  he  has  not  a  better  bottom." 

Such  an  ardour  of  mind,  and  vigour  of  enterprize,  is  admirable  at  any  age  :  but 
more  particularly  ao  at  the  advanced  periotl  at  which  Johnson  was  then  arrived. 
I  am  sorry  now  that  I  did  not  iuiist  on  our  executing  that  scheme.  Besides  the 
Other  objects  of  curiosity  and  observation,  to  have  seen  my  illustrious  friend  re- 
ceived, as  he  j)robably  would  have  been,  by  a  prince  so  eminently  distinguished 
for  his  variety  of  talents  and  acquisitions  as  the  late  King  of  Sweden  ;  and  by  the 
Empress  of  Russia,  whose  extraordinarj'  abilities,  information,  and  magnanimity, 
astonish  the  world,  would  have  afri)rded  a  noble  subject  for  conttrnjilation  and  re- 
cord. This  reflection  may  possibly  be  thought  too  visionary  by  the  more  sedate 
and  cold-blooded  part  of  my  readers ;  yet  1  own,  I  frequently  iadulge  it  with  an 
earnest,  unavailing  regret. 


392  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  for  I  wish  to  see  it.     Shall  we  go  to  Ireland,  of  which 
^l^  1  have  seen  but  little  ?   W^e  shall  try  to  strike  out  a 
fis.    plan  when  we  are  at  Ashbourne.     I  am  ever 

"  Your  most  faithful  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell." 

"  to  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  WRITE  to  be  left  at  Carlisle,  as  you  direct 
me  ;  but  you  cannot  have  it.  Your  letter,  dated  Sept. 
6,  was  not  at  this  place  till  this  day,  i  hursday,  Sept. 
11  ;  and  I  hope  you  will  be  here  before  this  is  at 
Carlisle.  5  However,  what  you  have  not  going,  you 
may  have  returning  ;  and  as  1  believe  I  shall  not  love 
you  less  after  our  interview,  it  will  then  be  as  true  as 
it  is  now,  that  1  set  a  very  high  value  upon  your 
friendship,  and  count  your  kindness  as  one  of  the  chief 
felicities  of  my  life.  Do  not  fancy  that  an  intermis- 
"''  sion  of  writing  is  a  decay  of  kindness.  No  man  is 
always  in  a  disposition  to  write  ;  nor  has  any  man  at 
all  times  something  to  say. 

"  That  distrust  which  intrudes  so  often  on  your 
mind  is  a  mode  of  melancholy,  which,  if  it  be  the 
business  of  a  wise  man  to  be  happy,  it  is  foolish  to 
indulge  ;  and,  if  it  be  a  duty  to  preserve  our  faculties 
entire  for  their  proper  use,  it  is  criminal.  Suspicion  is 
very  often  an  useless  pain.  From  that,  and  all  other 
pains,  I  wish  you  free  and  safe  ;  for  I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Most  affectionately  yours, 
"  Ashbourne,  Sept.  11,  1777.  *'  Sam.  Johnson.^-^ 

On  Sunday  evening,  Sept.  14,  I  arrived  at  Ash- 
bourne, and  drove  directlv  up  to  Dr.  Taylor's  door. 
Dr.  Johnson  and  he  appeared  before  I  had  got  out  of 
the  post-chaise,  and  welcomed  me  cordially. 

I  told  them  that  I  had  travelled  all  the  preceding 
night,  and  gone  to  bed  at  Leek  in  Staffordshire  ;  and 
that  when  I  rose  to  go  to  church  in  the  afternoon,  I 
was  informed  there  had  been  an  earthquake,  of  which, 

'  It  so  happened.    The  letter  was  forwarded  to  my  house  at  Edinburgh. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  393 

it  seems,  the  shock  had  been  felt  in  some  degree,  at  'T??- 
Ashbourne.     Johnson.  "Sir,  it  will  be  much  exag- ^^'^ 
gcrated   in   popular  talk  :    for,  in   the  first   place,  the    G8. 
common  people  do  not  accurately  adapt  their  thoughts 
to  the  objects  ;  nor,  secondly,  do  they  accurately  adapt 
their  words  to  their  thoughts  :  they  do  not  mean  to  lie  ; 
but,  taking  no  pains  to  be  exact,  they  give  you  very  false 
accounts.     A  great  part  of  their  language  is  proverbial.^ 
If  any  thing  rocks  at  all,  they  say  if  rocks  like  a  crudle  ; 
and  in  this  way  they  go  on." 

The  subject  of  grief  for  the  loss  of  relations  and  friends 
being  introduced,  L  observed  that  it  was  strange  to  con- 
sider how  soon  it  in  general  wears  away.  Dr.  Taylor 
mentioned  a  gentleman  of  the  neighbourhood  as  the 
only  instance  he  had  ever  known  of  a  person  who  had 
endeavoured  to  retain  grief  He  told  Dr.  Taylor,  that 
after  his  Lady's  death,  which  affected  him  deeply,  he  re- 
solved  iXvdi  the  grief,  which  he  cherished  with  a  kind  of 
sacred  fondness  should  be  lasting;  but  that  he  found 
he  could  not  keep  it  long.  Johnson.  "  All  grief  for 
what  cannot  in  the  course  of  nature  be  helped,  soon 
wears  away  ;  in  some  sooner,  indeed,  in  some  later  ; 
but  it  never  continues  very  long,  unless  where  there  is 
madness,  such  as  will  make  a  man  have  pride  so  fixed 
in  his  mind,  as  to  imagine  himself  a  king  ;  or  any 
other  passion  in  an  unreasonable  way  :  for  all  unneces- 
sary grief  is  unwise,  and  therefore  will  not  be  long 
retained  by  a  sound  mind.  If,  indeed,  the  cause  of  our 
grief  is  occasioned  by  our  own  misconduct,  if  grief  is 
mingled  with  remorse  of  conscience,  it  should  be  last- 
ing." BoswELL.  "  But,  Sir,  we  do  not  approve  of  a 
man  who  very  soon  forgets  the  loss  of  a  wife  or  a 
friend."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  we  disapprove  of  him,  not 
because  he  soon  forgets  his  grief ;  for  the  sooner  it  is 
forgotten  the  better,  but  because  we  suppose,  that  if 
he  forgets  his  wife  or  his  friend  soon,  he  has  not  had 
much  affection  for  them." 

1  was  somewhat  disappointed  in  finding  that  the 
edition  of  the  English  Poets,  for  which  he  was  to  write 
Prefaces  and  Lives,  was  not  an  undertaking  directed 
by  him  :  but  that  he  was  to  furnish  a  Preface  and  Life 

VOL.  II.  50 


394-  THE    LIFE    01; 

1777.  to  any  poet  the  booksellers  pleased.  1  asked  him  if 
he  would  do  this  to  any  dunce's  works,  if  they  should 
ask  him.  Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir  ;  and  say  he  was  a 
dunce."  My  friend  seemed  now  not  much  to  relish 
talking  of  this  edition. 

On  Monday,  September  15,  Dr.  Johnson  observed, 
that  every  body  commended  such  parts  of  his  "  Jour- 
ney to  the  Western  Islands,"  as  were  in  their  own  way. 
'•'  For  instance,  (said  he,)  Mr.  Jackson  (the  all-know- 
ing) told  me  there  was  more  good  sense  upon  trade  in 
it,  than  he  should  hear  in  the  House  of  Commons  in  a 
year,  except  from  Burke.  Jones  commended  the  part 
which  treats  of  language  ;  Burke  that  which  describes 
the  inhabitants  of  mountainous  countries." 

After  breakfast,  Johnson  carried  me  to  see  the  gar- 
den belonging  to  the  school  of  Ashbourne,  which  is 
very  prettily  formed  upon  a  bank,  rising  gradually 
behind  the  house.  The  Reverend  Mr.  Langley,  the 
head-master,  accompanied  us. 

While  we  sat  basking  in  the  sun  upon  a  seat  here, 
I  introduced  a  common  subject  of  complaint,  the  very 
small  salaries  which  many  curates  have,  and  I  main- 
tained, that  no  man  should  be  invested  with  the 
character  of  a  clergyman,  unless  he  has  a  security  for 
such  an  income  as  will  enable  him  to  appear  respect- 
able ;  that,  therefore,  a  clergyman  should  not  be 
allowed  to  have  a  curate,  unless  he  gives  him  a  hun- 
dred pounds  a  year  ;  if  he  cannot  do  that,  let  him 
perform  the  duty  himself.  Johnson.  "  To  be  sure, 
Sir,  it  is  wrong  that  any  clergyman  should  be  without 
a  reasonable  income  ;  but  as  the  church  revenues  were 
sadly  diminished  at  the  Reformation,  the  clergy  who 
have  livings,  cannot  afford,  in  many  instances,  to  give 
good  salaries  to  curates,  without  leaving  themselves 
too  little  ;  and,  if  no  curate  were  to  be  permitted  unless 
he  had  a  hundred  pounds  a  year,  their  number  would 
be  very  small,  which  would  be  a  disadvantage,  as  then 
there  would  not  be  such  choice  in  the  nursery  for 
the  church,  curates  being  candidates  for  the  higher 
ecclesiastical  offices,  according  to  their  merit  and  good 
behaviour,"     He  explained  the  system  of  the  English 


DR.    JOHNSON.  :5[)6 

Hierarchy  exceedingly  well.     "  It  is  not   thonglit  tit  >777- 
(said  he)  to  trust  a  man   with  the  care  of  a  parish  till  ^^ 
he  has   ^^\\v\)   proof  as  a  curate  that  he   shall  deserve   cs. 
such   a   trust."     This   is  an   excellent  t//eon/  :  and  if 
the  practice  were  according  to  it,   the  Church  of  Eng- 
land would  be  admirable  indeed.     However,  as  I  have 
heard  Dr.   Johnson   observe  as  to  the  Universities,  bad 
practice  does  not  infer  that  the  constitution  is  bad. 

We  had  with  us  at  dinner  several  of  Dr.  Taylor's 
neighbours,  good  civil  gentlemen,  who  seemed  to  un- 
derstand Dr.  Johnson  very  well,  and  not  to  consider 
him  in  the  light  that  a  certain  person  did,  who  being 
struck,  or  rather  stunned  by  his  voice  and  manner, 
when  he  was  afterwards  asked  what  he  thought  of 
him,  answered,  "  He's  a  tremendous  companion." 

Johnson  told  me,  that  "  Taylor  was  a  very  sensible 
acute  man,  and  had  a  strong  mind  ;  that  he  had  great 
activity  in  some  respects,  and  yet  such  a  sort  of  indo- 
lence, that  if  you  should  put  a  pebble  upon  his  chim- 
ney-piece, you  would  find  it  there,  in  the  same  state,  a 
year  afterwards." 

And  here  is  a  proper  place  to  give  an  account  of 
Johnson's  humane  and  zealous  interference  in  behalf 
of  the  Reverend  Dr.  William  Dodd,  formerly  Preben- 
dary of  Brecon,  and  chaplain  in  ordinary  to  his  Maj- 
esty ;  celebrated  as  a  very  popular  preacher,  an  en- 
courager  of  charitable  institutions,  and  authour  of  a 
variety  of  works,  chiefly  theological.  Having  unhappily 
contracted  expensive  habits  of  living,  partly  occasioned 
by  licentiousness  of  manners,  he  in  an  evil  hour,  when 
pressed  by  want  of  money,  and  dreading  an  exposure 
of  his  circumstances,  forged  a  bond  of  which  he  at- 
tempted to  avail  himself  to  support  his  credit,  flattering 
himself  with  hopes  that  he  might  be  able  to  repay  its 
amount  without  being  delected.  The  person,  whose 
name  he  thus  rashly  and  criminally  presumed  to  falsify, 
was  the  Earl  of  Chesterfield,  to  whom  he  had  beeri 
tutor,  and  who,  he  perhaps,  in  the  warmth  of  his  feel- 
ings, flattered  himself  would  have  generously  paid  the 
money  in  case  of  an  alarm  being  taken,  rather  than 
suffer  him  to  fall  a  victim  to  the  dreadful  consequences 


39^  J^HE    LIFE    OF 

'777.  of  Violating  the  law  against  forgery,  the  most  dangerous 
SaT  ^''^"^^  ^"  ^  commercial  country  ;  but  the  unfortunate 
68.  °  divine  had  the  mortification  to  find  that  he  was  mis- 
taken. His  noble  pupil  appeared  against  him,  and  he 
was  capitally  convicted. 

Johnson  told  me  that  Dr.  Dodd  was  very  little 
acquainted  with  him,  having  been  but  once  in  his 
company,  many  years  previous  to  this  period  (which 
was  precisely  the  state  of  my  own  acquaintance  with 
Dodd  ;)  but  in  his  distress  he  bethought  himself  of 
Johnson's  persuasive  power  of  writing,  if  haply  it  might 
avail  to  obtain  for  him  the  Royal  Mercy.  He  did  not 
apply  to  him  directly,  but,  extraordinary  as  it  may 
seem,  through  the  late  Countess  of  Harrington,^  who 
wrote  a  letter  to  Johnson,  asking  him  to  employ  his  pen 
in  favour  of  Dodd.  Mr.  Allen,  the  printer,  who  was 
Johnson's  landlord  and  next  neighbour  in  Bolt-court, 
and  for  whom  he  had  much  kindness,  was  one  of  Dodd's 
friends,  of  whom,  to  the  credit  of  humanity  be  it  re- 
corded, that  he  had  many  who  did  not  desert  him,  even 
after  his  infringement  of  the  law  had  reduced  him  to 
the  state  of  a  man  under  sentence  of  death.  Mr.  Allen 
told  me  that  he  carried  Lady  Harrington's  letter  to 
Johnson,  that  Johnson  read  it  walking  up  and  down  his 
chamber,  and  seemed  much  agitated,  after  which  he 
said,  "  1  will  do  what  I  can  ; — "  and  certainly  he  did 
make  extraordinary  exertions. 

He  this  evening,  as  he  had  obligingly  promised  in 
one  of  his  letters,  put  into  my  hands  the  whole  series 
of  his  writings  upon  this  melancholy  occasion,  and  I 
shall  present  my  readers  with  the  abstract  which  1  made 
from  the  collection  ;  in  doing  which  1  studied  to  avoid 
copying  what  had  appeared  in  print,  and  now  make 
part  of  the  edition  of  "  Johnson's  Works,"  published 
by  the  Booksellers  of  London,  but  taking  care  to  mark 
Johnson's  variations  in  some  of  the  pieces  there  exhib- 
ited. 

Dr.  Johnson  wrote  in  the  first  place,  Dr.  Dodd's 
''  Speech   to  the  Recorder  of   London,"  at  the  Old- 

'^  [Caroline,  eldest  daughter  of  Charles  Fitzroy,  Duke  of  Grafton,  and  wife  of 
\\*illiani,  the  Second  Earl  of  Harrijigton.    M.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  *  397 

Jkiley,  when  sentence  ot  death  was  about  to  be  pro-  1777. 
noiinced  upon  him.  ^^taT 

He  wrote  also  *'  The  Convict's  Address  to  his  gg. 
unhappy  Brethren,"  a  Sermon  dehvered  by  Dr.  Dodd, 
in  the  chapel  of  Newgate.  According  to  Johnson's 
manuscript  it  began  thus  after  the  text,  JV/tat  shall  I 
do  to  be  saved  / — "  Tliese  were  the  words  with  which 
the  keeper,  to  whose  custody  Paul  and  Sihis  were 
committed  by  their  prosecutors,  addressed  his  prisoners, 
when  he  saw  them  freed  from  their  bonds  by  the  per- 
ceptible agency  of  divine  favour,  and  was,  therefore, 
irresistibly  convinced  that  they  were  not  offenders 
against  the  laws,  but  martyrs  to  the  truth." 

Dr.  Johnson  was  so  good  as  to  mark  for  me  with  his 
own  hand,  on  a  copy  of  this  sermon  which  is  now  in  my 
possession,  such  passages  as  were  added  by  J)r.  Dodd. 
They  are  not  many  :  Whoever  will  take  the  trouble  to 
look  at  the  printed  copy,  and  attend  to  what  1  mention^ 
will  be  satisfied  of  this. 

There  is  a  short  introduction  by  Dr.  Dodd,  and  he 
also  inserted  this  sentence,  "  You  see  with  what  con- 
fusion and  dishonour  1  now  stand  before  you  ; — no 
more  in  the  pulpit  of  instruction,  but  on  this  humble 
seat  with  yourselves."  The  notes  are  entirely  Dodd's 
own,  and  Johnson's  writing  ends  at  the  words,  "  the 
thief  whom  he  pardoned  on  the  cross."  What  follows 
was  supplied  by  Dr.  Dodd  himself 
■  The  other  pieces  mentioned  by  Johnson  in  the 
above-mentioned  collection,  are  two  letters,  one  to  the 
Lord  Chancellor  Bathurst,  (not  Lord  North,  as  is 
erroneously  supposed,)  and  one  to  Lord  Mansfield  ; — 
A  Petition  from  Dr.  Dodd  to  the  King  ; — A  Petition 
from  Mrs.  Dodd  to  the  Queen  ; — Observations  of  some 
length  inserted  in  the  news-papers,  on  occasion  of  Earl 
Percy's  having  presented  to  his  Majesty  a  petition  for 
mercy  to  Dodd,  signed  by  twenty-thousand  people, 
but  all  in  vain.  He  told  me  that  he  had  also  written 
a  petition  from  the  city  of  London  ;  "  but  (said  he, 
M'ith  a  significant  smile)  they  mended  it."' 

'  Having  unexpectedly,  by  the  favour  of  Mr.  Stone,  of  London  Field,  Hackney, 
seen  the  original  in  Johnson's  haad-writing,  of  «  The  Petition  of  the  City  of  Lon- 


39S  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  The  last  of  these  articles  which  Johnson  wrote  is 
^J^J^  "  Dr.  Docld's  last  solemn  Declaration,"  which  he  left 
6s.  '  with  the  sheriff  at  the  place  of  execution.  Here  also 
my  friend  marked  the  variations  on  a  copy  of  that  piece 
now  in  my  possession.  Dodd  inserted,  "  1  never  knew 
or  attended  to  the  calls  of  frugality,  or  the  needful  mi- 
nuteness of  painful  oeconomy ;"  and  in  the  next  sen- 
tence he  introduced  the  words  which  1  distinguish  by 
lialicks ;  "  My  life  for  some  few  unhappif  years  past 
has  been  dreudfidly  erroneous. ^^  Johnson's  expression 
was  hypocritical ;  but  his  remark  on  the  margin  is 
"  With  this  he  said  he  could  not  charge  himself." 

Having  thus  authentically  settled  what  part  of  the 
"  Occasional  Papers,"  concerning  Dr.  Dodd's  misera- 
ble situation,  came  from  the  pen  of  Johnson,  1  shall 
proceed  to  present  my  readers  with  my  record  of  the 
unpublished  writings  relating  to  that  extraordinary  and 
interesting  matter. 

1  found  a  letter  to  Dr.  Johnson  from  Dr.  Dodd,  May 
23,  1777,  in  which,  "  The  Convict's  Address"  seems 
clearly  to  be  meant : 

"  I  am  so  penetrated,  my  ever  dear  Sir,  with  a  sense 
of  your  extreme  benevolence  towards  me,  that  I  cannot 
find  words  equal  to  the  sentiments  of  my  heart.  *  *  *  * 

"  You  are  too  conversant  in  the  world  to  need  the 
slightest  hint  from  me,   of  what  infinite    utility   the 


don  to  Iiis  Majesty,  in  favour  of  Dr.  Dodd,"  I  now  present  it  to  my  readers,  wtli 
such  passages  as  were  omitted,  inclosed  in  crotchets,  and  the  additions  or  variations 
marked  in  Italicks. 

"  That  William  Dodd,  Doctor  of  Laws,  now  lying  under  sentence  of  death  in 
your  Majesty's  gaol  of  Netugate,  for  the  crime  of  forgery,  has  for  a  great  part  of  his 
life  set  a  useful  and  laudable  example  of  diligence  in  his  calling,  [and  as  we  have 
reason  to  believe,  has  exercised  his  ministry  with  great  fidelity  and  efficacy,]  ■zi-hLb 
ia  many  instances,  has  produced  the  most  happ-^  ^ff'^'^i- 

"  That  he  has  been  the  first  institutor,  [or]  and  a  very  earnest  and  active  promo- 
ter of  several  modes  of  useful  charity,  and  [that]  therefore  [he]  may  be  considered 
as  having  been  on  many  occasions  a  benefactor  to  the  publick. 

"  [That  when  they  consider  his  past  Ufe,  they  are  willing  to  suppose  liis  late 
crime  to  have  been  not  the  consequence  of  habitual  depravity,  but  the  suggestion 
of  some  sudden  and  violent  temptation.] 

[That]  Tour  Petitioners  therefore  considering  his  case,  as  in  some  of  its  circimi- 
Stances  unprecedented  and  peculiar,  and  encouraged  by  your  Majesty's  knoivn  clemency, 
[they]  most  humbly  recommend  the  said  Willinni  Dodd  to  [his]  your  Majesty's 
most  gracious  consideration,  in  hopes  that  he  will  be  found  not  altogether  [unfit^ 
univorthy  to  stand  an  example  of  Royal  Mercy." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  399 

Speech'  on  the  aweful  day  has  been  to  me.  I  expcri-  i777. 
ence,  every  hour,  some  good  effect  from  it.  1  am  sure 
that  effects  still  more  salutary  atKi  important,  must  fol- 
low from  iiour  kind  and  intended  J'uvuur.  1  will  labour 
— God  being  my  helper, — to  do  justice  to  it  from  the 
pulpit.  1  am  sure,  had  I  your  sentiments  constantly 
to  deliver  from  thence,  in  all  their  mighty  force  and 
power,  not  a  soul  could  be  left  unconvinced  and  unper- 
suaded."     ******** 

He  added,  "  May  God  Almighty  bless  and  re- 
ward, with  his  choicest  comforts  your  philanthropick 
actions,  and  enable  me  at  all  times  to  express  what  I 
feel  of  the  high  and  uncommon  obligations  which  1  owe 
to  i\\e  first  man  in  our  times." 

On  Sunday,  June  22,  he  writes,  begging  Dr.  John- 
son's assistance  in  framing  a  supplicatory  letter  to  his 
Majesty  : 

"  If  his  Majesty  could  be  moved  of  his  royal  clem- 
ency to  spare  me  and  my  family  the  horrours  and  igno- 
miny of  a  publick  deaths  which  the  publick  itself  is  so- 
licitous to  wave,  and  to  grant  me  in  some  silent  distant 
corner  of  the  globe  to  pass  the  remainder  of  my  days  in 
penitence  and  prayer,  1  would  bless  his  clemency  and 
be  humbled." 

This  letter  was  brought  to  Dr.  Johnson  when  in 
church.  He  stooped  down  and  read  it,  and  wrote, 
when  he  went  home,  the  following  letter  for  Dr.  Dodd 
to  the  King: 

"  SIR, 

"  May  it  not  offend  your  Majesty,  that  the  most 
miserable  of  men  applies  himself  to  your  clemency,  as 
his  last  hope  and  his  last  refuge ;  that  your  mercy  is 
most  earnestly  and  humbly  implored  by  a  clergyman, 
whom  your  Laws  and  Judges  have  condemned  to  the. 
horrour  and  ignominy  of  a  publick  execution. 
.  "  I  confess  the  crime,  and  own  the  enormity  of  its 
consequences,  and  the  danger  of  its  example.  Nor 
have  1  the  confidence  to  petition  for  impunity  ;  but 

'  His  Speech  at  the  Old  Bjtiley,  when  found  guilty. 


400  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  humbly  hope,  that  pubhck  security  may  be  estabhsbedj 
^^J^  without  the  spectacle  of  a  clergyman  dragged  through 
68.    the  streets,  to  a  death  of  infamy,  amidst  the  derision  of 
the  profligate  and  profane  ;  and  that  justice  maybe  sat- 
isfied with  irrevocable  exile,   perpetual  disgrace,  and 
hopeless  penury. 

"  My  life,  Sir,  has  not  been  useless  to  mankind.  I 
have  benefitted  many.  But  my  ofiences  against  God 
are  numberless,  and  I  have  had  little  time  for  repent- 
ance. Preserve  me.  Sir,  by  your  prerogative  of  mercy, 
from  the  necessity  of  appearing  unprepared  at  that  tri- 
bunal, before  which  Kings  and  Subjects  must  stand  at 
iast  together.  Permit  me  to  hide  my  guilt  in  some  ob- 
scure corner  of  a  foreign  country,  where,  if  I  can  ever 
attain  confidence  to  hope  that  my  prayers  will  be  heard, 
they  shall  be  poured  with  all  the  fervour  of  gratitude 
for  the  life  and  happiness  of  your  Majesty.     1  am,  Sir. 

"  Your  Majesty's,  &c.''' 

Subjoined  to  ij  was  written  as  follows  : 

"  TO  DR.  DODD. 
"  SIR, 

"  1  MOST  seriously  enjoin  you  not  to  let  it  be  at 
all  known  that  1  have  written  this  letter,  and  to  return 
the  copy  to  Mr.  Allen  in  a  cover  to  me.  I  hope  I  need 
not  tell  you,  that  1  wish  it  success. — But  do  not  indulge 
hope. —  Fell  nobody." 

it  happened  luckily  that  Mr.  Allen  was  pitched  on  to 
assist  in  this  melancholy  office,  for  he  was  a  great  friend 
of  Mr.  Akerman,  the  keeper  of  Newgate.  Dr.  John- 
son never  went  to  see  Dr.  Dodd.  He  said  to  me,  "  it 
would  have  done  him  more  harm,  than  good  to  Dodd, 
who  once  expressed  a  desire  to  see  him,  but  not  ear- 
nestly." 

"  Dr.  Johnson,  on  the  20th  of  June,  wrote  the  foU 
lowing  letter: 

•'  TO  THE  RIGHT  HONOURABLE    CHARLES  JENKINSOK. 

'*  SIR, 

"  Since  the  conviction  and  condemnation  of  Dr. 
Dodd,  I  have  had,  by  the  intervention  of  a  friend,  some 


DR.    JOHNSON.  401 

intercourse  \vi til  liim,  aiul  I  am  sure  1  shall  lose  nothing  '777. 
in    your   opinion    by    tenderness   and    commiseration,  ^t'.^ 
Whatever  be   the   crime,   it  is  not  easy  to  have  any   (>«. 
knowledge  of  the  delim^uent,   without  a  wish  that  his 
lite  may  be  spared  ;  at  least  when  nolifi*  has  been  taken 
away  by  him.     I  will,  therefore,  take  the  liberty  of  sug- 
gesting some  reasons   for  which  I  wish  this   unhappy 
being  to  escape  the  utmost  rigour  of  his  sentence. 

"  He  is,  so  far  as  I  can  recollect,  the  first  clergyman 
of  our  church  who  has  suliered  publick  execution  for 
immorality  ;  and  I  know  not  whether  it  would  not  be 
more  for  the  interests  of  religion  to  bury  such  an  offend- 
er in  the  obscurity  of  perpetual  exile,  than  to  expose 
him  in  a  cart,  and  on  the  gallows,  to  all  who  for  any 
reason  are  enemies  to  the  clergy. 

"  The  supreme  power  has,  in  all  ages,  paid  some  at- 
tention to  the  voice  of  the  people  ;  and  that  voice  does 
not  least  deserve  to  be  heard,  when  it  calls  out  for  mer- 
cy. There  is  now  a  very  general  desire  that  Dodd's  life 
should  be  spared.  More  is  not  wished  ;  and,  perhaps, 
this  is  not  too  much  to  be  granted. 

"  If  you.  Sir,  have  any  opportunity  of  enforcing  these 
reasons,  you  may,  perhaps,  think  them  worthy  of  con- 
sideration :  but  whatever  you  determine,  I  most  re- 
spectfully intreat  that  you  will  be  pleased  to  pardon  for 
this  intrusion,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient 

"  And  most  humble  servant, 

"  Sam.  Johnson." 

It  has  been  confidently  circulated,  with  invidious  re- 
marks, that  to  this  letter  no  attention  whatever  was  paid 
by  Mr.  Jenkinson,  (afterwards  Earl  of  Liverpool ;)  and 
that  he  did  not  even  deign  to  shew  the  common  civility 
of  owning  the  receipt  of  it.  I  could  not  but  wonder  at 
such  conduct  in  the  noble  Lord,  whose  own  character 
and  just  elevation  in  life,  I  thought,  must  have  impress- 
ed him  with  all  due  regard  for  great  abilities  and  attain- 
ments. As  the  story  had  been  much  talked  of,  and 
apparently  from  good  authority,  I  could  not  but  have 
animadverted  upon  it  in  this  work,  had  it  been  as  was 

VOL.  IT.  .51 


402  THE    LIFE    OF 

»777.  alledged;  but  froQi  my  earnest  love  of  truth,  and  hav- 
SaT  ^^S  found  reason  to  think  that  there  might  be  a  mistake, 
68.  1  presumed  to  write  to  his  Lordship,  requesting  an  ex- 
planation ;  and  it  is  with  the  sincerest  pleasure  that  I 
am  enabled  to  assure  the  world,  that  there  is  no  foun- 
dation for  it,  the  fact  being,  that  owing  to  some  neg- 
lect, or  accident,  Johnson's  letter  never  came  to  Lord 
Hawkesbury's  hands.  I  should  have  thought  it  strange 
indeed,  if  that  noble  Lord  had  undervalued  my  illustri- 
ous friend  ;  but  instead  of  this  being  the  case,  his  Lord- 
ship, in  the  very  polite  answer  with  which  he  was  pleas- 
ed immediately  to  honour  me,  thus  expresses  himself: — 
"  I  have  always  respected  the  memory  of  Dr.  Johnson, 
and  admire  his  writings ;  and  I  frequently  read  many 
parts  of  them  with  pleasure  and  great  improvement." 

All  applications  for  the  Royal  Mercy  having  failed. 
Dr.  Dodd  prepared  himself  for  death  ;  and,  with  a 
warmth  of  gratitude,  wrote  to  Dr.  Johnson  as  follows: 

"  June  25,  Midnight. 
"  Accept,  thou  great  and  good  heart,  my  earnest 
and  fervent  thanks  and  prayers  for  all  thy  benevolent 
and  kind  efforts  in  my  behalf. — Oh  !  Dr.  Johnson  !  as 
I  sought  your  knowledge  at  an  early  hour  in  life,  would 
to  heaven  I  had  cultivated  the  love  and  acquaintance 
of  so  excellent  a  man  ! — I  pray  God  most  sincerely  to 
bless  you  with  the  highest  transports — the  infelt  satis- 
faction of  humane  and  benevolent  exertions  ! — And  ad- 
mitted, as  I  trust  1  shall  be,  to  the  realms  of  bliss  be- 
fore you,  1  shall  hail  your  arrival  there  with  transports, 
and  rejoice  to  acknowledge  that  you  was  my  Comfort- 
er, my  Advocate  and  my  Friend !  God  be  ever  with 
you  !" 

Dr,  Johnson  lastly  wrote  to  Dr.  Dodd  this  solemn 
and  soothing  letter: 

"  TO  THE  REVEREND  DR.  DODD. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  That  which  is  appointed  to  all  men  is  now  com- 
ing upon  you.     Outward  circumstances,  the  eyes  and 


DR.    JOHNSON.  40M 

the  thoughts  of  men,  are  below  the  notice  of  an  immor-  i//''. 
tal  being  abont  to  stand  the  trial  for  eternity,  before  the  ^,.^ 
Supreme  Judge  of  heaven  and  earth.      IJe  comforted  :    as. 
your  crime,   morally  or  religiously  considered,  has  no 
very  deep  dye  of  turpitude.     It  corrupted   no  man's 
principles;  it  attacked  no  man's  life.     It  involved  only 
a  temporary  and  reparable  injury.     Of  this,  and  of  all 
other  sins,  you  are  earnestly  to  repent ;  and  may  God, 
who  knovveth  our  frailty,   and  desireth  not  our  death, 
accept  your  repentance,  for  the  sake  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord. 

"  In  requital  of  those  well  intended  offices  which  you 
are  pleased  so  emphatically  to  acknowledge,  let  me  beg 
that  you  make  in  your  devotions  one  petition  for  my 
eternal  welfare.     1  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate  servant, 

"  Jui/e  26,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

Under  the  copy  of  this  letter  I  found  written,  in 
Johnson's  own  hand,  "  Next  day,  June  27,  he  was  ex- 
ecuted." 

To  conclude  this  interesting  episode  with  an  useful 
application,  let  us  now  attend  to  the  reflections  of  John- 
son at  the  end  of  the  "  Occasional  Papers,'^  concerning 
the  unfortunate  Dr.  Dodd. — "  Such  were  the  last 
thoughts  of  a  man  whom  we  have  seen  exulting  in  pop- 
ularity, and  sunk  in  shame.  For  his  reputation,  which 
no  man  can  give  to  himself,  those  who  conferred  it  are 
to  answer.  Of  his  publick  ministry  the  means  of  judg- 
ing were  sufficiently  attainable.  He  must  be  allowed 
to  preach  well,  whose  sermons  strike  his  audience  with 
forcible  conviction.  Of  his  life,  those  who  thought  it 
consistent  with  his  doctrine,  did  not  originally  form  false 
notions.  He  was  at  first  what  he  endeavoured  to  make 
others ;  but  the  world  broke  down  his  resolution,  and 
he  in  time  ceased  to  exemplify  his  own  instructions. 

"  Let  those  who  are  tempted  to  his  faults,  tremble 
at  his  punishment ;  and  those  whom  he  impressed  from 
the  pulpit  with  religious  sentiments,  endeavour  to  con- 
firm them,  by  considering  the  regret  and  seif-abhoirence 


404  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  with  which  he  reviewed  in  prison  his  deviations  from 
^,2:  rectitude."-  .        .    ,.    , 

fig.  Johnson  gave  us  this  evenmg,  in  his  happy  discrimi- 
native manner,  a  portrait  of  the  late  Mr.  Fitzherbert  of 
Derbyshire.  "  There  was  (said  he)  no  sparkle,  no  bril- 
liancy in  Fitzherbert ;  but  1  never  knew  a  man  who  was 
so  generally  acceptable.  He  made  every  body  quite 
easy,  overpowered  nobody  by  the  superiority  of  his  tal- 
ents, made  no  man  think  worse  of  himself  by  being  his 
rival,  seemed  always  to  listen,  did  not  oblige  you  to  hear 
much  from  him,  and  did  not  oppose  what  you  said. 
Every  body  liked  him  ;  but  he  had  no  friend,  as  I  un- 
derstand the  word,  nobody  with  whom  he  exchanged 
intimate  thoughts.  People  were  willing  to  think  well 
of  every  thing  about  him.  A  gentleman  was  making 
an  affected  rant,  as  many  people  do,  of  great  feelings 
about  '  his  dear  son,^  who  was  at  school  near  London  ; 
how  anxious  he  was  lest  he  might  be  ill,  and  what  he 
would  give  to  see  him.  '  Can't  you  (said  Fitzherbert,) 
take  a  post-chaise  and  go  to  him.^  This,  to  be  sure, 
finished  the  affected  man,  but  there  was  not  much  in 
ito'  However,  this  was  circulated  as  wit  for  a  whole 
/  winter,  and  I  believe  part  of  a  summer  too  ;  a  proof  that 
he  was  no  very  witty  man.  He  was  an  instance  of  the 
I  truth  of  the  observation,  that  a  man  will  please  more 
upon  the  whole  by  negative  qualities  than  by  positive; 
by  never  ofl^ending,  than  by  giving  a  great  deal  of  de- 
light. In  the  first  place,  men  hate  more  steadily  than 
they  love  ;  and  if  I  have  said  something  to  hurt  a  man 
!  once,  I  shall  not  get  the  better  of  this,  by  saying  many 
^     things  to  please  him." 

^        '  [See  Dr.  Johnson's  final  opinion  concerning  Dr.  Dodd,  in  vol.  iii.  under  Apni 
J  8,  1783.     M.] 

'  Dr.  Gisborne,  Physician  to  his  Majesty's  Household,  has  obligingly  communi- 
cated to  n^e  a  fuller  account  of  this  story  than  had  reached  Dr.  Jolinson.  The  af- 
fected Gentleman  was  the  late  John  Gilbert  Cooper,  Esq.  authour  of  a  Life  of 
Socrates,  and  of  some  poems  in  Dodsley's  collection.  Mr.  Fitzherbert  found  him 
one  morning,  apparently,  in  such  violent  agitation,  on  account  of  the  indisposition 
of  his  son,  as  to  seem  beyond  the  power  of  comfort.  At  length,  however,  he  ex- 
claimed, "  I'll  write  an  Elegy."  Mr.  Fitzherbert  being  satisfied,  by  this,  of  the  sin- 
cerity of  his  emotions,  slyly  said,  "  Had  not  you  better  take  a  post-chaise  and  go 
and  sec  him  .'"  It  wa*  the  shrewdness  of  tlie  insiw^tion  which  made  the  story  be 
circulated. 


DIl.    JOHNSON.  'U)i 

Tuesday,  September  l6,  Dr.  Johnson  having  men-  '777. 
tioned  to  me  the  extraordinary  size  and  price  of  some  ^^^ 
cattle  reared  by  Dr.    Taylor,  I  rode  out  with  our  host,    (i8. 
surveyed  his  farm,   and  was  shewn  one  cow  which  he 
had  sold  for  a  iiundred  and  twenty  guineas,  and  another 
for  which  he  iiad    been  otiered  a  hundred  and  thirty. 
Tayl(»r  thus  described  to   me  his  old  schoolfellow  and 
friend,  Johnson  :  "  He  is  a  man  of  a  very  clear  head, 
great  power  of  words,  and  a  very  gay  imagination  ;  but 
there  is  no  disputing  witli  him.     He  will  not  hear  you, 
and   having  a  louder  voice  than  you,  must  roar  you 
down." 

In  the  afternoon  I  tried  to  get  Dr.  Johnson  to  hke 
the  Poems  of  Mr.  Hamilton  of  Bangour,  which  1  had 
brought  with  me  :  1  had  been  much  pleased  with  them 
at  a  very  earlv  age :  the  impression  still  remained  on 
my  mind  ;  it  was  confirmed  by  the  opinion  of  my  friend 
the  Honourable  Andrew  Erskine,  himself  both  a  good 
poet  and  a  good  critick,  who  thought  Hatnilton  as  true 
a  poet  as  ever  wrote,  and  that  his  not  having  fame  was 
unaccountable.  Johnson,  upon  repeated  occasions, 
while  I  was  at  Ashbourne,  talked  slightingly  of  Hamil- 
ton. He  said  there  was  no  power  of  thinking  in  his 
verses,  nothing  that  strikes  one,  nothing  better  than 
what  you  generally  find  in  magazines  ;  and  that  the 
highest  praise  they  deserved  was,  that  they  were  very 
well  for  a  gentleman  to  hand  about  among  his  friends. 
He  said  the  imitation  of  Ne  sit  cmcillce  tibi  amoi\  ii^c. 
was  too  solemn  ;  he  read  part  of  it  at  the  beginning. 
He  read  the  beautiful  pathetick  song,  "  Ah  the  poor 
shepherd's  mournful  fate,"  and  did  not  seem  to  give 
attention  to  what  1  had  been  used  to  think  tender  ele- 
gant strains,  but  laughed  at  the  rhyme,  in  Scotch  pro- 
nunciation, 'Ji'ishes  and  blushes,  reading  icus/tes — and 
there  he  stopped.  He  owned  that  the  epitaph  on  Lord 
Newhall  was  pretty  well  done.  He  read  the  "  Inscrip- 
tion in  a  Summer-house,"  and  a  little  of  the  imitations 
of  Horace's  Epistles ;  but  said  he  found  nothing  to  make 
him  desire  to  read  on.  When  1  urged  that  there  were 
some  good  poetical  passages  in  the  book,  "  M'here  (said 
he,>  will  you  find  so  large  a  collection  without  some?'* 


406  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  I  thought  the  description  of  Winter  might  obtain  his 
^Qt.  approbation  : 
68.  " 

"  See  Winter,  from  the  frozen  north 

*'  Drives  his  iron  chariot  forth  ! 

"  His  grisly  hand  in  icy  chains 

"  Fair  Tweeda's  silver  flood  constrains,"  &c. 

He  asked  vi^hy  an  "  iron  chariot  ?"  and  said  "  icy 
chains"  was  an  old  image.  I  was  struck  with  the  un- 
certainty of  taste,  and  somewhat  sorry  that  a  poet  whom 
I  had  long  read  with  fondness,  was  not  approved  by 
Dr.  Johnson.  1  comforted  myself  with  thinking  that 
the  beauties  were  too  delicate  for  his  robust  percep- 
tions. Garrick  maintained  that  he  had  not  a  taste  for 
the  finest  productions  of  genius  :  but  I  was  sensible, 
that  when  he  took  the  trouble  to  analyse  critically,  he 
generally  convinced  us  that  he  was  right. 

In  the  evening  the  Reverend  Mr.  Seward,  of  Lich- 
field, who  was  passing  through  Ashbourne  in  his  way 
home,  drank  tea  with  us.  Johnson  described  him 
thus  ; — "  Sir,  his  ambition  is  to  be  a  fine  talker  ;  so 
he  goes  to  Buxton,  and  such  places,  where  he  may  find 
companies  to  listen  to  him.  And,  Sir,  he  is  a  valetudi- 
narian, one  of  those  who  are  always  mending  themselves. 
I  do  not  know  a  more  disagreeable  character  than  a 
valetudinarian,  who  thinks  he  may  do  any  thing  that  is 
for  his  ease,  and  indulges  himself  in  the  grossest  free- 
doms :  Sir,  he  brings  himself  to  the  state  of  a  hog  in  a 
stye." 

Dr.  Taylor's  nose  happening  to  bleed,  he  said,  it  was 
because  he  had  omitted  to  have  himself  blooded  four 
days  after  a  quarter  of  a  year's  interval.  Dr.  Johnson, 
who  was  a  great  dabbler  in  physick,  disapproved  much 
of  periodical  bleeding.  "  For  (said  he)  you  accustom 
3^ourself  to  an  evacuation  which  Nature  cannot  perform 
of  herself,  and  therefore  she  cannot  help  you,  should 
you  from  forgetfulness  or  any  other  cause  omit  it  ;  so 
you  may  be  suddenly  suffocated.  You  may  accustom 
yourself  to  other  periodical  evacuations,  because^  should 
you  omit  them,   Nature  can  supply  the  omission  ;  but 


DR.    JOHNSON.  40? 

Nature  cannot  open   a  vein  to  blood  you."- — "  [  do  >777. 
not   like   to   take  an  enietick,  (said   Taylor,)  for  tear  of^j.^ 
breaking-   some  small   vessels." — "•  Poll  !     (said   .lolin-   ge. 
son,)  if  you  have  so  many   things  that  will  break,  yon    j    -^ 
had  bettt^r  break  your  neek  at  once,  and  tiu^re's  an  end    I 
on't.      "\()U   will    break    no  small    vessels  :"    (blowing 
with  high  derision.) 

1  mentioned  to  Dr.  Jolnison,  that  David  IJume's 
persisting  in  his  infidelity,  when  he  was  ilying,  shocked 
me  much.  Johnson.  "  Why  should  it  shock  you, 
Sir  ?  Hume  owned  he  had  never  read  the  New  Testa- 
ment with  attention.  Here  then  was  a  man  who  had 
been  at  no  pains  to  enquire  into  the  truth  of  religion, 
and  had  continually  turned  his  mind  the  other  way. 
It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  the  prospect  of  death 
would  alter  his  way  of  thinking,  unless  Goo  should 
send  an  angel  to  set  him  right."  1  said,  I  had  reason 
to  believe  that  the  thought  of  annihilation  gave  Hume 
no  pain.  Johnson.  "  It  was  not  so.  Sir.  He  had  a 
vanity  in  being  thought  easy.  It  is  more  probable  that 
he  should  assume  an  appearance  of  ease,  than  so  very 
improbable  a  thing  should  be,  as  a  man  not  afraid  of 
going  (as,  in  spite  of  his  delusive  theory,  he  cannot  be 
sure  but  he  may  go,)  into  an  unknown  state,  and  not 
being  uneasy  at  leaving  all  he  knew.  And  you  are  to 
consider,  that  upon  his  own  principle  of  annihilation 
he  had  no  motive  to  speak  the  truth."  The  horrour 
of  death  which  I  had  always  observed  in  Dr.  Johnson, 
appeared  strong  to-night.  I  ventured  to  tell  him,  that 
1  had  been,  for  moments  in  my  life,  not  afraid  of  death ; 
therefore  I  could  suppose  another  man  in  that  state  of 
mind  for  a  considerable  space  of  time.  He  said,  "  he 
never  had  a  moment  in  which  death  was  not  terrible  to 
him."  He  added,  that  it  had  been  observed,  that 
scarce  any  man  dies  in  publick,  but  with  apparent 
resolution  ;  from  that  desire  of  praise  which  never 
quits  us.  1  said.  Dr.  Dodd  seemed  to  be  willing  to ^ 
die,  and  full  of  hopes  of  happiness.  "  Sir,  (said  he,) 
Dr.  Dodd   would  have  given  both  his  hands  and  both 

-  [Nature,  however,  may  supply  the  evacuation  by  an  hemorrhage.     K.] 


408  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  his  legs  to  have  lived.     The  better  a  man  is,  the  more 

^TTT  afraid  is  he  of  death,  having^  a  clearer  view  of  infinite 
6«.  purity.  He  owned,  that  our  being  in  an  unhappy 
uncertainty  as  to  our  salvation,  was  mysterious  ;  and 
said,  "  Ah  !  we  must  wait  till  we  are  in  another  state 
of  being,  to  have  many  things  explained  to  us.^'  Even 
the  powerful  mind  of  Johnson  seemed  foiled  by  futu- 
rity. Jjiit  I  thought,  that  the  gloom  of  uncertainty  in 
solemn  religious  speculation,  being  mingled  with  hope, 
was  yet  more  consolatory  than  the  emptiness  of  infi- 
delity. A  man  can  live  in  thick  air,  but  perishes  in 
an  exhausted  receiver. 

Dr.  Johnson  was  much  pleased  with  a  remark  which 
I  told  him  was  made  to  me  by  General  Paoli  : — "  That 
it  is  impossible  not  to  be  afraid  of  death  ;  and  that 
those  who  at  the  time  of  dying  are  not  afraid,  are  not 
thinking  of  death,  but  of  applause,  or  something  else, 
which  keeps  death  out  of  their  sight  :  so  that  all  men 
are  equally  afraid  of  death  when  they  see  it  ;  only  some 
have  a  power  of  turning  their  sight  away  from  it  better 

,y        than  others." 

^'  On   Wednesday,  September  17,   Dr.   Butter,  physi- 

cian at  Derby,  drank  tea  with  us  ;  and  it  was  settled 
that  Dr.  Johnson  and  I  should  go  on  Friday  and  dine 
with  him.  Johnson  said,  "  I'm  glad  of  this."  He 
seemed  weary  of  the  uniformity  of  life  at  Dr.  Taylor's. 
Talking  of  biography,  I  said,  in  writing  a  life,  a 
(  man's  peculiarities  should  be  mentioned,  because  they 
mark  his  character.  Johnson.  "  Sir,  there  is  no 
doubt  as  to  peculiarities  :  the  question  is,  whether  a 
man's  vices  should  be  mentioned  ;  for  instance, 
whether  it  should  be  mentioned  that  Addison  and 
Parnell  drank  too  freely  ;  for  people  will  probably 
J  more  easily  indulge  in  drinking  from  knowing  this  ;  so 
that  more  ill  may  be  done  by  the  example,  than  good 
bv  telling  the  whole  truth."  Here  was  an  instance  of  his 
varying  from  himself  in  talk  ;  for  when  Lord  Hailes 
and  he  sat  one  morning  calmly  conversing  in  my  house 
at  Edinburgh,  I  well  remember  that  Dr.  Johnson  main- 
tained, that  "  If  a  man  is  to  write  A  Pancgijr'tck\  he 
may  keep  vices  out  of  his  sight  ;  but  if  he  professes 


DR.   JOHNSON.  40^ 

to  write  A  Life^  he  must  represent  it  really  as  it  was  \^  \lll. 
and  when  I  objected  to  the  danger  of  telling  that  l*ar-  ^'1pC\ 
nell  drank  to  excess,  he  said,  that  "  it  would   produce    og. 
an  instructive  caution  to  avoid  drinking,  when  it  was 
Seen,  that  even   the  learning  and  genius  of   Parnell 
could  be  debased  by  it."     And  in   the  Hebrides  he 
maintained,  as   appears    from  my  "  Journal,"^   that  a 
tnan's  intimate  friend  should  mention  his  faults,  if  he 
writes  his  life. 

He  had  this  evening,  partly,  I  suppose,  from  the 
Spirit  of  contradiction  to  his  Whig  friend,  a  violent 
argument  with  Dr.  Taylor,  as  to  the  inclinations  of  the 
people  of  England  at  this  time  tow^ards  the  Royal  Fam- 
ily of  Stuart.  He  grew  so  outrageous  as  to  say,  "  that, 
if  England  were  fairly  polled,  the  present  King  would 
be  sent  away  to-night,  and  his  adherents  hanged  to^ 
morrow."  Taylor,  who  was  as  violent  a  Whig  as 
Johnson  was  a  tory,  was  roused  by  this  to  a  pitch  of 
bellowing.  He  denied,  loudly,  what  Johnson  said  ; 
and  maintained,  that  there  was  an  abhorrence  against 
the  Stuart  family,  though  he  admitted  that  the  people 
were  not  much  attached  to  the  present  King.*  John- 
son. "  Sir,  the  state  of  the  country  is  this  :  the  people 
knowing  it  to  be  agreed  on  all  hands  that  this  King 
has  not  the  hereditary  right  to  the  crown,  and  there 
being  no  hope  that  he  who  has  it  can  be  restored,  have 
grown  cold  and  indifferent  upon  the  subject  of  loyalty, 
and  have  no  warm  attachment  to  any  King.  They 
would  not,  therefore,  risk  any  thing  to  restore  the  ex- 
iled family.  They  would  not  give  twenty  shillings  a 
piece  to  bring  it  about.  But  if  a  mere  vote  could  do 
it,  there  would  be  twenty  to  one  ;  at  least,  there  would 
be  a  very  great  majority  of  voices  for  it.  For,  Sir,  you 
are  to  consider,  that  all  those  who  think  a  King  has  a 
right  to  his  crown,  as  a  man  has  to  his  estate,  which  is 

•  J  Journal  of  a  Tour  to  the  Hebrides,  3d  edit.  p.  240. 

••  Dr.  Taylor  was  very  ready  to  make  this  admission,  because  the  party  with 
which  he  was  connected  was  not  in  power.  There  was  then  some  truth  in  it,  ow- 
ing to  the  pertinacity  of  factious  clamour.  Had  he  lived  till  now,  it  would  havr 
been  impossible  for  him  to  deny  that  bis  Majesty  possesses  the  wanoett  affpcrior 
of  his  people. 

VOL.  ir.  59 


UO  THE    LIFE    OF 

^777.  the  just  opinion,  would  be  for  restoring  the  King  who 
^aT  certainly  has  the  hereditary  right,  could  he  be  trusted 
68.  with  it  ;  in  which  there  would  be  no  danger  now, 
when  laws  and  every  thing  else  are  so  much  advanced  : 
and  every  King  will  govern  by  the  laws.  And  you 
must  also  consider,  Sir,  that  there  is  nothing  on  the 
other  side  to  oppose  to  this  ;  for  it  is  not  alledged  by 
any  one  that  the  present  family  has  any  inherent  right : 
so  that  the  Whigs  could  not  have  a  contest  between 
two  rights." 

Dr.  Taylor  admitted,  that  if  the  question  as  to  he- 
reditary right  were  to  be  tried  by  a  poll  of  the  people  of 
England,  to  be  sure  tlie  abstract  doctrine  would  be 
given  in  favour  of  the  family  of  Stuart  ;  but  he  said, 
the  conduct  of  that  family,  which  occasioned  their  ex- 
pulsion, was  so  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  people,  that 
they  would  not  vote  for  a  restoration.  Dr.  Johnson,  I 
think,  was  contented  with  the  admission  as  to  the 
hereditary  right,  leaving  the  original  point  in  dispute, 
viz.  what  the  people  upon  the  whole  would  do,  taking 
in  right  and  affection  ;  for  he  said,  people  were  afraid 
of  a  change,  even  though  they  think  it  right.  Dr. 
Taylor  said  something  of  the  slight  foundation  of  the 
hereditary  right  of  the  house  of  Stuart.  "  Sir,  (said 
Johnson,)  the  house  of  Stuart  succeeded  to  the  full 
right  of  both  the  houses  of  York  and  Lancaster,  whose 
common  source  had  the  undisputed  right.  A  right  to 
a  throne  is  like  a  right  to  any  thing  else.  Possession 
is  sufficient,  where  no  better  right  can  be  shown.  This 
was  the  case  with  the  Royal  Family  of  England,  as  it 
is  now  with  the  King  of  France  :  for  as  to  the  first 
beginning  of  the  right  we  are  in  the  dark." 

Thursday,  September  18.  Last  night  Dr.  Johnson 
had  proposed  that  the  crystal  lustre,  or  chandelier,  in 
Dr.  Taylor's  large  room,  should  be  lighted  up  some 
time  or  other.  Taylor  said,  it  should  be  lighted  up 
next  night.  "That  will  do  very  well,  (said  1,)  for  it  is 
Dr.  Johnson's  birth-day."  When  we  were  in  the  Isle 
of  Sky,  Johnson  had  desired  me  not  to  mention  his 
birth-day.     He  did  not  seem  pleased  at  this  time  that 


DR.    JOHNSON.  411 

1    mentioned    it,    and  said,   (somewhat  sternly)  "  he  1777- 
vould  not  liave  the  lustre  lighted  the  next  day."  ^am 

Some  ladies,  who  had  been  present  yesterday  when  oy. 
1  mentioned  his  hirth-tlay,  came  to  dinner  to-day,  and 
plagued  him  unintentionally,  by  wishing  him  joy.  1 
know  not  why  he  dishked  having  his  birth-day  men- 
tioned, unless  it  were  that  it  reminded  him  of  his 
approaching  nearer  to  death,  of  which  he  had  a  con- 
stant dread. 

I  mentioned  to  him  a  friend  of  mine  who  was  for- 
merly gloomy  from  low  spirits,  and  much  distressed  by 
the  fear  of  death,  but  was  now  uniformly  placid,  and 
contemplated  his  dissolution  without  any  perturbation. 
"  Sir,  (said  Johnson,)  this  is  only  a  disordered  imagin- ) 
ation  taking  a  ditierent  turn." 

We  talked  of  a  collection  being  made  of  all  the  En- 
glish Poets  who  had  published  a  volume  of  poems. 
Johnson  told  me  "  that  a  Mr.  Coxeter,  ^  whom  he 
knew,  had  gone  the  greatest  length  towards  this  ; 
having  collected,  I  think,  about  five  hundred  volumes 
of  poets  whose  works  were  little  known  ;  but  that 
upon  his  death  Tom  Osborne  bought  them,  and  they 
were  dispersed,  which  he  thought  a  pity,  as  it  was 
curious  to  see  any  series  complete  ;  and  in  every  vol- 
ume of  poems  something  good  may  be  found." 

He  observed,  that  a  gentleman  of  eminence  in  lite- 
rature had  got  into  a  bad  style  of  poetry  of  late.  "  He 
puts  (said  he)  a  very  common  thing  in  a  strange  dress 
till  he  does  not  know  it  himself,  and  thinks  other 
people  do  not  know  it."  Boswell.  "  That  is  owing 
to  his  being  so  much  versant  in  old  English  poetry." 
Johnson.  "  What  is  that  to  the  purpose.  Sir  I  If  I  / 
say  a  man  is  drunk,  and  you  tell  me  it  is  owing  to  his  \ 
taking  much  drink,  the  matter  is   not  mended.     No, 

Sir, has  taken  to  an  odd  mode.     For  example  ; 

he'd  write  thus  ; 

'  [Thomas  Coxcter,  Esq.  who  had  also  made  a  large  collection  of  old  plays,  and 
from  whose  manuscript  notes  the  Lives  of  the  English  Poets,  by  Shiels  and  Gibber, 
were  principally  compiled,  as  should  have  been  mentioned  in  a  former  page. 
See  page  300  of  this  volume.  Mr.  Coxeter  was  bred  at  Trinity  College,  Oxford^ 
and  died  in  London,  April  17,  1747,  in  his  fifty-ninth  year.  A  particular  account 
of  him  may  be  found  in  "  The  Gentlemaa's  Magazine"  for  1781,  p.  173.    M.] 


412  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  "  Hermit  hoar,  in  solemn  cell, 

^'^         ,         "  Wearing  out  life's  evening  gray." 

'    Gray  evening  is  common  enough  ;    but  evening  gray 
he'd  think  fine. — -Stay  ;— -we'll  make  out  the  stanza  : 

*  Hermit  hoar,  in  solemn  cell, 

'  Wearing  out  life's  evening  gray  : 
'  Smite  thy  bosom,  sage,  and  tell, 

'  What  is  bliss  ?   and  which  the  way  !" 

BoswELL.  "  But  why  smite  his  bosom,  Sir  !"  John- 
son. "  Why  to  shew  he  was  in  earnest,"  (smiling.)— * 
He  at  an  alter  period  added  the  following  stanza  : 

"  Thus  I  spoke  ;  and  speaking  sigh'd  ; 

"  — Scarce  repress'd  the  starting  tear  ; — 
"  When  the  smiling  sage  reply'd-— 

"  — Come,  my  lad,  and  drink  some  beer."^ 

I  cannot  help  thinking  the  first  stanza  very  good  solemn 
poetry,  as  also  the  first  three  lines  of  the  second.  Its 
last  line  is  an  excellent  burlesque  surprize  on  gloomy 
sentimental  enquirers.  And,  perhaps,  the  advice  is 
as  good  as  can  be  given  to  a  low-spirited  dissatisfied 
being  : — "  Don't  trouble  your  head  with  sickly  think- 
ing :  take  a  cup,  and  be  merry." 

Friday,  September  19,  after  breakfast.  Dr.  Johnson 
and  I  set  out  in  Dr.  Taylor's  chaise  to  go  to  Derby. 
The  day  was  fine,  and  we  resolved  to  go  by  Keddle- 
stone,  the  seat  of  Lord  Scarsdale,  that  1  might  see  his 
Lordship's  fine  house.     I  was  struck  with  the  magnifi- 

'  As  some  of  my  readers  may  be  gratified  by  reading  the  progress  of  tliis  little 
composition,  I  siiail  insert  it  from  my  notes.  "  When  Dr.  Johnson  and  I  were 
sitting  tete-a-tete  at  the  Mitre  tavern,  May  9,  1778,  he  said  '  Where  is  bliss,'  would 
be  better.  He  then  added  a  ludicrous  stanza,  but  would  not  repeat  it,  lest  I  should 
take  it  down.  It  was  somewhat  as  follows  ;  the  last  line  I  am  sure  I  remember  : 
'  While  1  thus  cried, 

'  seer, 

*  The  hoary  reply'd, 

'  Come,  my  lad,  and  drink  some  beer.' 
"  In  spring,  1779,  when  in  better  humour,  he  made  the  second  stanza,  as  in  the 
text.  'J'here  was  only  one  variation  afterwards  made  on  my  suggestion,  which 
was  changing  hoary  in  the  third  line  to  smiling,  both  to  avoid  a  sameness  with  the 
epithet  in  the  first  line,  and  to  describe  the  hermit  in  his  pleasantry.  He  w^  then 
rery  well  pleased  that  I  should  preserve  it." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  i  l^j 

cencc  of  the. building  ;  and  the  extensive  park,  with  >777. 
the  finest  verdure,  covered  witli  deer,  and  cattle,  and  ^^^ 
sheep,  delighted   me.     The  number  of  old  oaks,  of  an    Gg. 
immense  size,  filled  me  with  a  sort  of  respectful  admi- 
ration :  for  one  of  them  sixty  pounds  was  otT'ered.   The 
excellent  smooth  gravel  roads  ;  the  large  piece  of  water 
formed  by  his  l^ordship  from  some  small  brooks,  with 
a   handsome  barge   upon   it  ;    the  venerable  Gothick 
church,  now  the  family  chapel,  just  by  the  house;  in 
short,  the  grand  group  of  objects  agitated  and  distended 
my  mind  in  a  most  agreeable  manner.     "  One  should 
think   (said  1)  that  the  proprietor  of  all  this  mnsf  be 
happy." — "  Nay,  Sir,  (said  Johnson,)  all  this  excludes 
but  one  evil — poverty."' 

Our  names  were  sent  up,  and  a  well-drest  elderly 
housekeeper,  a  most  distinct  articulator,  shewed  us  the 
house  ;  which  1  need  not  describe,  as  there  is  an  account 
of  it  published  in  "  Adams's  Works  in  Architecture." 
Dr.  Johnson  thought  better  of  it  to-day,  than  when  he 
saw  it  before  ;  for  he  had  lately  attacked  it  violentl}', 
saying,  "  It  would  do  excellently  for  a  town-hall.  The 
large  room  with  the  pillars  (said  he)  would  do  for  the 
Judges  to  sit  in  at  the  assizes  ;  the  circular  room  for  a 
jury-chamber  ;  and  the  room  above  for  prisoners." 
Still  he  thought  the  large  room  ill  lighted,  and  of  no 
use  but  for  dancing  in  ;  and  the  bed-chambers  but  in- 
different rooms  ;  and  that  the  immense  sum  which  it 
cost  was  injudiciously  laid  out.  Dr.  Taylor  had  put 
him  in  mind  of  his  appearing  pleased  with  the  house. 
"  But  (said  he)  that  was  when  Lord  Scarsdale  was 
present.  Politeness  obliges  us  to  appear  pleased  with 
a  man's  works  when  he  is  present.  No  man  will  be 
so  ill  bred  as  to  question  you.  You  may  therefore  pay 
compliments  without  saying  what  is  not  true.     I  should 

'  When  T  mentioned  Dr.  Johnson's  remark  to  a  lady  of  admirable  good  sense 
•ind  quickness  of  understanding,  she  observed,  "  It  is  true,  ?.H  this  exchides  onJy 

one  evil ;  but  how   much  good  does  it  let  in  ?" To  this  observation  miicli 

praise  has  been  justly  given.  Let  me  then  now  do  myself  the  honour  to  mention 
that  the  lady  who  made  it  was  the  late  Margaret  Montgomerie,  my  very  valua- 
ble wife,  and  the  very  affectionate  mother  of  my  children,  who,  if  they  inlicrit  her 
good  qualitipj,  wiJl  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  their  lot.     Dos  magna pdiuituti 


-il4  THE    LIFE    OP 

1777.  say  to  Lord  Scarsdale  of  his  large  room,  '  My  Lord, 
^"^  this  is  the  most  costhj  room  that  1  ever  saw  ;'  which  is 
G8.  '  true." 

Dr.  Manningham,  physician  in  London,  who  was 
visiting  at  Lord  Scarsdale's,  accompanied  us  through 
many  of  the  rooms,  and  soon  afterwards  my  Lord  him- 
self, to  whom  Dr.  Johnson  was  known,  appeared,  and 
did  the  honours  of  the  house.  We  talked  of  Mr. 
Langton.  Johnson,  with  a  warm  vehemence  of  affec- 
tionate regard,  exclaimed,  "  The  earth  does  not  bear  a 
Vv^orthier  man  than  Bennet  Langton."  We  saw  a  good 
many  fine  pictures,  which  1  think  are  described  in  one 
of  "  Young^s  Tours."  There  is  a  printed  catalogue  of 
them,  which  the  housekeeper  put  into  my  hand  ;  I 
should  like  to  view  them  at  leisure.  I  was  much 
struck  with  Daniel  interpreting  Nebuchadnezzar's 
dream,  by  Rembrandt — We  were  shown  a  pretty 
large  library.  In  his  Lordship's  dressing-room  lay 
Johnson's  small  Dictionary  :  he  shewed  it  to  me, 
with  some  eagerness,  saying,  '  Look'ye  !  Qiice  regio 
m  terris  nostri  non  plena  iaboris.'  He  observed,  also, 
Goldsmith's  "  Animated  Nature  ;"  and  said,  "  Here's 
our  friend  !  The  poor  Doctor  would  have  been  happy 
to  hear  of  this." 

In  our  way,  Johnson  strongly  expressed  his  love  of 
driving  fast  in  a  post-chaise.  "  If  (said  he)  I  had  no  du- 
ties, and  no  reference  to  futurity,  1  would  spend  my 
life  in  driving  briskly  in  a  post-chaise  with  a  pretty  wo- 
man ;  but  she  should  be  one  who  could  understand  me, 
and  would  add  something  to  the  conversation."  1  ob- 
served, that  we  were  this  day  to  stop  just  where  the 
Highland  army  did  in  1745.  Johnson.  "  It  was  a  no- 
ble attempt."  Boswell.  "  1  wish  we  could  have  an 
authentick  history  of  it."  Johnson.  "  If  you  were  not 
an  idle  dog  you  might  write  it,  by  collecting  from  every 
body  what  they  can  tell,  and  putting  down  your  au- 
thorities." Boswell.  "  But  I  could  not  have  the  ad- 
vantage of  it  in  my  life-time."  Johnson.  "  You  might 
have  the  satisfaction  of  its  fame,'by  printing  it  in  Hol- 
land ;  and  as  to  profit,  consider  how  long  it  was  before 
writing  came  to  be  considered  in  a  pecuniary  view. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  415 

Baretti  says,  he  is  the  first  man  that  ever  received  copy- 1777. 
money  in  Italy."     I  said  that  1  would  endeavour  to  do  ^JJ[^ 
what   Dr.  Johnson   suggested  ;  and  1    thought   that   J    ca. 
might  write  so  as  to  venture  to  publish  my  "  History  of 
the   Civil  War  in   Great-Britain   in    1745  and    1746," 
without  being  obliged  to  go  to  a  foreign  press. ^ 

^Vhen  we  arrived  at  Derby,  Dr.  Butter  accompanied 
us  t(;  see  the  manufactory  of  china  there.  1  admired 
the  ingenuity  and  delicate  art  with  which  a  man  fash- 
ioned clay  into  a  cup,  a  saucer,  or  a  tea-pot,  while  a  boy 
turned  round  a  wheel  to  give  the  mass  rotundity.  1 
tliought  this  as  excellent  in  its  species  of  power,  as 
making  good  verses  in  its  species.  Yet  1  had  no  re- 
spect for  this  potter.  Neither,  indeed,  has  a  man  of  any 
extent  of  thinking  for  a  mere  verse-maker,  in  whose 
numbers,  however  perfect,  there  is  no  poetry,  no  mind. 
The  china  was  beautiful,  but  Dr.  Johnson  justly  ob- 
served it  was  too  dear ;  for  that  he  could  have  vessels 
of  silver,  of  the«same  size,  as  cheap  as  what  were  here 
made  of  porcelain. 

1  felt  a  pleasure  in  walking  about  Derby,  such  as  I 
always  have  in  walking  about  any  town  to  which  1  am 
not  accustomed.  There  is  an  immediate  sensation  of 
novelty ;  and  one  speculates  on  the  way  in  which  life 
is  passed  in  it,  which,  although  there  is  a  sameness  ev- 
ery where  upon  the  whole,  is  yet  minutely  diversified. 
The  minute  diversities  in  every  thing  are  wonderful. 
Talking  of  shaving  the  other  night  at  Dr.  Taylor's,  Dr. 
Johnson  said,  "  Sir,  of  a  thousand  shavers,  two  do  not 
shave  so  much  alike  as  not  to  be  distinguished."  I 
thought  this  not  possible,  till  he  specified  so  many  of 
the  varieties  in  shaving  ; — holding  the  razor  more  or  less 
perpendicular  ; — drawing  long  or  short  strokes  ; — be- 
ginning at  the  upper  part  of  the  face,  or  the  under — at 
the  right  side  or  the  left  side.  Indeed,  when  one  con- 
siders what  variety  of  sounds  can  be  uttered  by  the 
wind-pipe,  in  the  compass  of  a  very  small  aperture,  we. 

»  I  am  now  happy  to  understand  that  Mr.  John  Home,  who  was  himself  gal- 
lantly in  the  field  for  the  reigning  family,  in  that  interesting  warfare,  but  is  gene- 
rous enough  to  do  justice  to  the  other  side,  is  preparing  an  account  of  it  for  the 
press. 


416  THE    LIFE    OP 

1777.  may  be  convinced  how  many  degrees  of  difierence  thefe 

^'^  may  be  in  the  application  of  a  razor. 

fis.  We  dined  with  Dr.  Butter, 5>  whose  lady  is  daughter 
of  my  cousin  Sir  John  Douglas,  whose  grandson  is  now 
presumptive  heir  of  the  noble  family  of  Queensberry. 
.iohnson  and  he  had  a  good  deal  of  medical  conversa- 
tion, Johnson  said,  he  had  somewhere  or  other  given 
an  account  of  Dr.  Nichols's  discourse  "  De  Afzimd  Me- 
dicd.^^  He  told  us  "  that  whatever  a  man's  distemper 
was.  Dr.  Nichols  would  not  attend  him  as  a  physician, 
if  his  mind  was  not  at  ease ;  for  he  believed  that  no 
medicines  would  have  any  influence.  He  once  attend- 
ed a  man  in  trade,  upon  whom  he  found  none  of  the 
medicines  he  prescribed  had  any  effect ;  he  asked  the 
man's  wife  privately  whether  his  affairs  were  not  in  a 
bad  way?  She  said  no.  He  continued  his  attendance 
some  time,  still  without  success.  At  length  the  man's 
wife  told  him,  she  had  discovered  that  her  husband's 
affairs  were  in  a  bad  way.  When  Goldsmith  was  dying. 
Dr.  Turton  said  to  him,  '  Your  pulse  is  in  greater  dis- 
order than  it  should  be,  from  the  degree  of  fever  which 
you  have  :  is  your  mind  at  ease?'  Goldsmith  answered 
it  was  not." 

After  dinner,  Mrs.  Butter  went  with  me  to  see  the 
silk-mill  which  Mr.  John  Lombe  had'  had  a  patent  for, 
having  brought  away  the  contrivance  from  Italy.  lam 
not  very  conversant  with  mechanicks  ;  but  the  simplici- 
ty of  this  machine,  and  its  multiplied  operations,  struck 
me  with  an  agreeable  surprize.  I  had  learnt  from  Dr. 
Johnson,  during  this  interview,  not  to  think  with  a  de- 
jected indifference  of  the  works  of  art,  and  the  pleasures 
of  life,  because  life  is  uncertain  and  short;  but  to  con- 
sider such  indifference  as  a  failure  of  reason,  a  morbid- 
ness of  mind  ;  for  happiness  should  be  cultivated  as 
much  as  we  can,  and  the  objects  which  are  instrumental 
to  it  should   be  steadily  considered  as  of  importance, 

'  [Dr.  Butter  was  at  this  time  a  practising  physician  at  Derby.  He  afterwards 
removed  to  London,  where  he  died  in  his  79th  year,  March  22,  1805.  He  is  au- 
thor of  several  medical  tracts.     M.] 

'  See  Hutton's  History  of  Derby,  a  book  which  is  deservedly  esteemed  for  its 
ihformation,  accuracy,  and  good  narrative.  Indeed  the  age  in  which  wc  live  is. 
eminently  distinguished  by  topographical  nceUence. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  417 

with  a  reference  not  only  to  ourselves,  but  to  multitudes  '777. 
in  successive  ages.  Though  it  is  proper  to  value  suiall  ^,',^ 
parts,  as  (is. 

"  Sands  make  the   mountain,   moments  make    the 
year  ;"* 

yet  we  must  contemplate,  collectively,  to  have  a  just 
estimation  of  objects.     One  moment's  being  uneasy  or 
not,  seems  of  no  consequence;  yet  this  may  be  thou'^ljt 
of  the  next,  and  the  next,  and  so  on,  till  there  is  a  lar^'e 
portion  of  misery.     In  the  same  way  one  must  think  of 
happiness,  of  learning,  of  friendship.     We  cannot  tell 
the  precise  moment  when  friendship  is  formed.     As  in 
filling  a  vessel  drop  by  drop,  there  is  at  last  a  drop  which 
makes  it  run  over ;   so  in  a  series  of  kindnesses  there  is 
at  last  one  which  makes  the  heart  run  over.      We  must 
not  divide  objects  of  our  attention  into  minute   parts, 
and  think  separately  of  each  part.     It  is  by  contem [bat- 
ing a  large  mass  of  human  existence,  that  a  man,  while 
he  sets  a  just  value  on  his  own  life,  does  not  tliink  of 
his  death  as  annihilating  all  that  is  great  and  pleasing  in 
the  world,  as  if  actually  coiituined  in  his  mind^  according 
to  13erkeley's  reverie.     If  his  imagination  be  not  sickly 
and  feeble,  it  "  wings  its  distant  way"  far  beyond  him- 
self, and  views  the  world  in  unceasing  activity  of  every 
sort.     It  must  be  acknowledged,  however,  that  Pope's 
plaintive  reflection,   that  all  things  would  be  as  gay  as 
ever,  on  the  day  of  his  death,  is  natural  and  common. 
We  are  apt  to  transfer  to  all  around  us  our  own  gloom, 
without  considering  that  at  any  given  point  of  time  th^re 
is,  perhaps,  as  much  youth  and  gaiety  in  the  world  as 
at  another.     Before   I  came  into  this  life,   in  which  [ 
have  had  so  many  pleasant  scenes,  have  not  thousands 
and  ten   thousands  of  deaths  and  funerals  happened, 
and  have  not  families  been  in  grief  for  their  nearest  re- 
lations ?  Hut  have  those  dismal  circumstances  at  all  af- 
.  fected  me  /  Why  then  should  the  gloomy  scenes  which 
I  expericmce,  or  which  1  know,  affect  others?   Let  us 
guard  against  imagining  that  there  is  an  end  of  fV-lirity 
upon  earth,  when  we  ourselves  grow  old,  or  are  unhappy. 

^  Yonng-. 

vor.  IT.  .53 


418  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  Dr.  Johnson  told  us  at  tea,  that  when  some  of  Dr. 
Dodd's  pious  friends  were  trying  to  console  him  by  say- 
ing that  he  was  going  to  leave  "  a  wretched  world,"  he 
had  honesty  enough  not  to  join  in  the  cant : — "  No,  no 
(said  he,)  it  has  been  a  very  agreeable  world  to  me." 
Johnson  added,  "  I  respect  Dodd  for  thus  speaking  the 
truth  ;  for,  to  be  sure,  he  had  for  several  years  enjoyed 
a  life  of  great  voluptuousness." 

He  told  us,  that  Dodd^s  city  friends  stood  by  him  so, 
that  a  thousand  pounds  were  ready  to  be  given  to  the 
gaoler,  if  he  would  let  him  escape.  He  added,  that  he 
knew  a  friend  of  Dodd's,  who  walked  about  Newgate 
for  some  time  on  the  evening  before  the  day  of  his  ex- 
ecution, with  five  hundred  pounds  in  his  pocket,  ready 
to  be  paid  to  any  of  the  turnkeys  who  could  get 
him  out :  but  it  was  too  late  ;  for  he  was  watched  with 
much  circumspection  He  said,  Dodd's  friends  had 
an  image  of  him  made  of  wax,  which  was  to  have  been 
left  in  his  place  ;  and  he  believed  it  was  carried  into  the 
prison. 

Johnson  disapproved  of  Dr.  Dodd's  leaving  the  world 
persuaded  that  "  The  Convict's  Address  to  his  unhappy 
Brethren,"  was  of  his  own  writing.  "  But,  Sir,  (said  1,) 
you  contributed  to  the  deception  ;  for  when  Mr.  Sew- 
ard expressed  a  doubt  to  you  that  it  was  not  Dodd's 
own,  because  it  had  a  great  deal  more  force  of  mind  in 
it  than  any  thing  known  to  be  his,  you  answered, — 
'  Why  should  you  think  so  !  Depend  upon  it,  Sir,  when 
a  man  knows  he  is  to  be  hanged  in  a  fortnight,  it  con- 
centrates his  mind  wonderfully."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  as 
Dodd  got  it  from  me  to  pass  as  his  own,  while  that 
could  do  him  any  good,  that  was  an  implied  promise 
that  I  should  not  own  it.  To  own  it,  therefore,  would 
have  been  telling  a  lie,  with  the  addition  of  breach  of 
promise,  which  was  worse  than  simply  telling  a  lie  to 
make  it  be  believed  it  was  Dodd's.  Besides,  Sir,  I  did  not 
directlif  tell  a  lie  :  I  left  the  matter  uncertain.  Perhaps 
1  thought  that  Seward  would  not  believe  it  the  less  to 
be  mine  for  what  I  said  ;  but  1  would  not  put  it  in  his 
power  to  say  1  had  owned  it." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  419 

He  praised  Blair's  sermons:    "  Yet,"  said  he,   (wil-  i???. 
ling  to  let  us  see  he  was  aware  that  fashionable  fame,  "^(^ 
however  deserved,  is  not  always  the  most  lasting,)  "  per-   68. 
haps,  they  may  not  be  re-printed  after  seven  years  ;    at 
least  not  after  Blair's  death." 

He  said,  "  Goldsmith  was  a  plant  that  flowered  late. 
There  appeared  nothing  remarkable  about  him  when 
he  was  young  ;  though  when  he  had  got  high  in  fame, 
one  of  his  friend's  began  to  recollect  something  of  his 
being  distinguished  at  College.  *  Goldsmith  in  the 
same  manner  recollected  more  of  that  friend's  early 
yeare,  as  he  grew  a  greater  man." 

1  mentioned  that  Lord  Monboddo  told  me,  he  awak- 
ed every  morning  at  four,  and  then  for  his  health  got  up 
and  walked  in  his  room  naked,  with  the  window  open, 
which  he  called  taking  an  air  hath  ;  after  which  he  went 
to  bed  again,  and  slept  two  hours  more.  Johnson,  who 
was  always  ready  to  beat  down  any  thing  that  seemed 
to  be  exhibited  with  disproportionate  importance,  thus 
observed :  "  1  suppose,  Sir,  there  is  no  more  in  it  than 
this,  he  wakes  at  four,  and  cannot  sleep  till  he  chills 
himself,  and  makes  the  warmth  of  the  bed  a  grateful 
sensation.'^ 

I  talked  of  the  difficulty  of  rising  in  the  morning. 
Dr.  Johnson  told  me,  "  that  the  learned  Mrs.  Carter, 
at  that  period  when  she  was  eager  in  study,  did  not 
awake  as  early  as  she  wished,  and  she  therefore  had  a 
contrivance,  that,  at  a  certain  hour,  her  chamber-light 
should  burn  a  string  to  which  a  heavy  weight  was  sus- 
pended, which  then  fell  with  a  strong  sudden  noise : 
this  roused  her  from  sleep,  and  then  she  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  getting  up."  But  1  said  that  was  my  difficulty  ; 
and  wished  there  could  be  some  medicine  invented 
which  would  make  one  rise  without  pain,  which  1  never 
did,  unless  after  lying  in  bed  a  very  long  time.  J*er- 
haps  there  may  be  something  in  the  stores  of  Nature 
which  could  do  this.  1  have  thought  of  a  pulley  to 
raise  me  gradually ;  but  that  would  give  me  pain,  as  it 
would  counteract  my  internal  inclination.    1  would  have 

^  [He  -was  distinguished  in  college,  as  appears  from  a  circumstance  mentioned 
•by  Dr.  Kearney.     See  voL  i.  p.  322.    M.] 


420  THE    LIFE    OP 

•  777.  something  that  can  dissipate  the  vis  inertice^  and  give 
^g^  elasticity  to  the  muscles.  As  1  imagine  that  the  human 
()S.  body  may  be  put,  by  the  operation  of  other  substances, 
into  any  state  in  which  it  has  ever  been  ;  and  as  1  have 
experienced  a  state  in  which  rising  from  bed  was  not  dis- 
agreeable, but  easy,  nay,  sometimes  agreeable  ;  I  sup- 
pose that  this  state  may  be  produced,  if  we  knew  by 
what.  We  can  heat  the  body,  we  can  cool  it ;  we  can 
give  it  tension  or  relaxation  ;  and  surely  it  is  possible  to 
bring  it  into  a  state  in  which  rising  from  bed  will  not  be 
a  pain. 

Johnson  observed,  that  "  a  man  should  take  a  suf- 
ficient quantity  of  sleep,  which  Dr.  Mead  says  is  be- 
tween seven  and  nine  hours."  I  told  him,  that  Dr. 
Cullen  said  to  me,  that  a  man  should  not  take  more 
sleep  than  he  can  take  at  once.  Johnson.  "  This 
rule,  Sir,  cannot  hold  in  all  cases  ;  for  many  people 
have  their  sleep  broken  by  sickness  ;  and  surely,  Cul- 
len would  not  have  a  man  to  get  up,  after  having  slept 
but  an  hour.  Such  a  regimen  would  soon  end  in  a 
lonfi^  sleep. '^"^  Dr.  Taylor  remarked,  1  think  very  justly, 
that  "  a  man  who  does  not  feel  an  inclination  to  sleep 
at  the  ordinary  times,  instead  of  being  stronger  than 
other  people,  must  not  be  well  ;  for  a  man  in  health 
has  all  the  natural  inclinations  to  eat,  drink,  and  sleep 
in  a  strong  degree." 

Johnson  advised  me  to-night  not  to  refine  in  the 
education  of  my  children.  "  Life,  (said  he)  will  not 
bear  refinement  :  you  must  do  as  other  people  do." 

As  we  drove  back  to  Ashbourne,  Dr.  Johnson  rec- 
ommended to  me,  as  he  had  often  done,  to  drink  water 
only  :    "  For   (said  he)  you  are  then  sure  not   to  get 

''  This  regimen  was,  however,  practised  by  Bishop  Ken,  of  whom  Hawkins 
fnot  Sir  John)  in  his  Hfe  of  that  venerable  Prelate,  page  4,  tells  us,  "  And  that 
neither  his  study  might  be  the  aggressor  on  his  hours  of  instruction,  or  what  he 
judged  his  duty,  prevent  his  improvements  ;  or  both,  his  closet  addresses  to  his 
God  ;  he  strictly  accustomed  himself  to  but  one  sleep,  which  often  obliged  him  to 
rise  at  one  or  two  of  the  clock  in  the  morning,  and  sometimes  sooner  ;  and  grew 
so  habitual,  that  it  continued  with  him  almost  till  his  last  illness.  And  so  lively 
and  chearful  was  his  temper,  that  he  would  be  very  facetious  and  entertaining  to 
his  friends  in  the  evening,  even  when  it  was  perceived  that  with  difficulty  he  kept 
his  eyes  open  ;  and  then  seemed  to  go  to  rest  with  no  other  purpose  than  the  re- 
fresiiing  and  enabling  him  with  more  vigour  and  chearfulncss  to  sing  his  morning 
hymn,  as  he  then  used  to  do  to  his  lute  before  he  put  on  his  clothes. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  481 

drunk  ;  whereas,  if  you  drink  wine,  you  arc  never  '777. 
sure."  I  said,  drinking  wine  was  a  pleasure  which  I  ^^ 
was  unwilling  to  give  up.  "  Why,  Sir,  (said  he,)  there  68. 
is  no  doubt  that  not  to  drink  wine  is  a  great  deduction 
from  life :  but  it  may  be  necessary."  He  however 
owned,  that  in  his  opinion  a  free  use  of  wine  did  not 
shorten  life  ;  and  said,  he  would  not  give  less  for  the 
life  of  a  certain  Scotch  Lord  (whom  he  named)  cele- 
brated for  hard  drinking,  than  for  that  of  a  sober  man. 
"  Hut  stay,  (said  he,  with  his  usual  intelligence,  and 
accuracy  of  enquiry,)  does  it  take  much  wine  to  make 
him  drunk  !"  I  answered,  "  a  great  deal  either  of  wine 
or  strong  punch." — "  rhen  (said  he)  that  is  the  worse." 
1  presume  to  illustrate  my  friend's  observation  thus  ; 
*'  A  fortress  which  soon  surrenders  has  its  walls  less 
shattered,  than  when  a  long  and  obstinate  resistance  is 
made." 

I  ventured  to  mention  a  person  who  was  as  violent 
a  Scotchman  as  he  was  an  Englishman  ;  and  literally 
had  the  same  contempt  for  an  Englishman  compared 
with  a  Scotchman,  that  he  had  for  a  Scotchman  com- 
pared with  an  Englishman  ;  and  that  he  would  say  of 
Dr.  Johnson,  "  Damned  rascal  !  to  talk  as  he  does  of 
the  Scotch."  This  seemed,  for  a  moment,  "  to  give 
him  pause."  It,  perhaps,  presented  his  extreme  pre- 
judice against  the  Scotch  in  a  point  of  view  somewhat 
new  to  him,  by  the  effect  of  contrast. 

By  the  time  when  we  returned  to  Ashbourne,  Dr. 
Taylor  was  gone  to  bed.  Johnson  and  1  sat  up  a  long 
time  by  ourselves. 

He  was  much  diverted  with  an  article  which  I 
shewed  him  in  the  "  Critical  Review"  of  this  year, 
giving  an  account  of  a  curious  pubhcation,  entitled, 
"  A  spiritual  Diary  and  Soliloquies,  by  John  Rutty, 
M.  D."  Dr.  Rutt}^  was  one  the  people  called  Quakers, 
a  physician  of  some  eminence  in  Dublin,  and  authour  of 
several  works.  This  Diary,  which  was  kept  from  \75S 
to  177o,  the  year  in  which  he  died,  and  was  now  pub- 
lished in  two  volumes  octavo,  exhibited  in  the  simplicity 
of  his  heart,  a  minute  and  honest  register  of  the  state 
of  his   mind   ;    which,   though   frequently   laughable 


422  THE    LIFE    OP 

1777.  enough,  was  not  more  so  than  the  history  of  many 
^^^  men  would  be,  if  recorded  with  equal  fairness. 
68.  *      The  following  specimens  were  extracted  by  the  Re- 
viewers : 

"  Tenth  month,  17^3. 

"  23.  Indulgence  in  bed  an  hour  too  long. 
/     "  Twelfth  month,  17.  An  hypochondriack  obnubila- 
tion from  wind  and  indigestion. 

"  Ninth  month,  28.  An  over-dose  of  whisky. 

"  29-  A  dull,  cross,  cholerick  day. 

"  First  month,  17^7 — 22.  A  httle  swinish  at  dinner 
and  repast. 

"31.  Dogged  on  provocation. 

"  Second   month,  5.  Very  dogged  or  snappish. 

"   14.  Snappish  on  fasting. 

"  26.  Cursed  snappishness  to  those  under  me,  on  a 
bodily  indisposition. 

"  Third  month,  11.  On  a  provocation,  exercised  a 
dumb  resentment  for  two  days,  instead  of  scolding. 

"  22.  Scolded  too  vehemently. 

"  23.  Dogged  again. 

"  Fourth  month,  29.  Mechanically  and  sinfully 
dogged." 

Johnson  laughed  heartily  at  this  good  Quietist's  self- 
condemning  minutes  ;  particularly  at  his  mentioning, 
with  such  a  serious  regret,  occasional  instances  of 
"  swinishness  in  eating,  and  doggedness  of  temper.*' 
He  thought  the  observations  of  the  Critical  Reviewers 
upon  the  importance  of  a  man  to  himself  so  ingenious 
and  so  well  expressed,  that  I  shall  here  introduce 
them. 

After  observing,  that  "  there  are  few  writers  who 
have  gained  any  reputation  by  recording  their  own 
actions,"  they  say, 

"  We  may  reduce  the  egotists  to  four  classes.  In 
the  j^W^  we  have  Julius  Caesar  :  he  relates  his  own 
transactions  ;  but  he  relates  them  with  peculiar  grace 
and  dignity,  and  his  narrative  is  supported  by  the 
greatness  of  his  character  and  atchievements.  In  the 
y^cowfl? class  we  have  Marcus  Antoninus:  this  writer  has 
ffiven  us  a  series  of  reflections  on  his  own  life  ;  but  his 


DR.    JOHNSON.  423 

sentiments  are  so  noble,  his  morality  so  sublime,  that  i777. 
his  meditations  are  universally  admired.     In  the /////v/ J^^ 
class  we  have  some  others  (jf  tolerable  credit,  who  have   (,>;. 
given  importance  to  their  own  private  history  by  an  in- 
termixture of  literary  anecdotes,  and  the  occurrences 
of  their  own   times  :  the  celebrated  Hnetius  has  pub- 
lished an  entertaining  volume  upon  this  plan, '  De  rcbu.s 
ad  emu  i>crtinentibns.^     In  xhe.Jourth  class  we  have  the 
journalists,    temporal  and    spiritual  :    Elias   Ashmole, 
William  Lilly,  George  Whitefield,  John  Wesley,  and  a 
thousand    other  old   women    and    fanatick    writers  of 
memoirs  and  meditations." 

I  mentioned  to  him  that  Dr.  Hugh  Blair,  in  his  lec- 
tures on  Rhetorick  and  Belles  Lettres,  which  1  heard 
him  deliver  at  Edinburgh,  had  animadverted  on  the 
Johnsonian  style  as  too  pompous  ;  and  attempted  to 
imitate  it,  by  giving  a  sentence  of  Addison  in  "  The 
Spectator,"  No.  41 1,  in  the  manner  of  Johnson.  When 
treating  of  the  utility  of  the  pleasures  of  imagination  in 
preserving  us  from  vice,  it  is  observed  of  those  "  who 
know  not  how  to  be  idle  and  innocent,"  that  "  their 
very  first  step  out  of  business  is  into  vice  or  folly  ;" 
which  Dr.  Blair  supposed  would  have  been  expressed 
in  "  The  Rambler,'^  thus  :  "  their  very  first  step  out 
of  the  regions  of  business  is  into  the  perturbation  of 
vice,  or  the  vacuity  of  folly."^  Johnson.  "  Sir,  these 
are  not  the  words  1  should  have  used.  No,  Sir;  the 
imitators  of  my  style  have  not  hit  it.  Miss  Aikin  has 
done  it  the  best ;  for  she  has  imitated  the  sentiment  as 
well  as  the  diction." 

1  intend,  before  this  work  is  concluded,  to  exhibit 
specimens  of  imitation  of  my  friend's  style  in  various 
modes ;  some  caricaturing  or  mimicking  it,  and  some 
formed  upon  it,  whether  intentionally  or  with  a  degree 
of  similarity  to  it,  of  which,  perhaps,  the  writers  were 
not  conscious. 

■■  When  Dr.  Blair  publiahed  his  "  Lectures,"  he  was  invidiously  attacked  lyr  liav- 
ing  omitted  his  cen5ure  on  Johnson's  style,  and,  on  the  contrary,  praising  ij  hi.^hly. 
But  before  that  time  Johnion's  "  Lives  of  the  Poets"  had  appeared,  in  which  his 
style  was  considerably  easier,  t'lan  when  lie  wrote  "  The  Rambler."  It  would, 
therefore,  have  been  uncandid  in  Blair,  even  suppo»inghis  criticism  to  have  been 
just,  ta  have  preserved  it. 


424  THE    LIFE    OP 

1777.  In  Baretti^s  Review,  which  he  published  in  Italy,  un° 
^'^  der  the  title  of  "  Frusta  Letter  aria,"  it  is  observ- 
(jg.  *  ed,  that  Dr.  Robertson  the  historian  had  formed  his 
style  upon  that  of  "  //  celebre  Samuele  Johnson.^^  My 
friend  himself  was  of  that  opinion  ;  for  he  once  said  to 
me,  in  a  pleasant  humour,  "  Sir,  if  Robertson's  style  be 
faulty,  he  owes  it  to  me  ;  that  is,  having  too  many 
words,  and  those  too  big  ones." 

I  read  to  him  a  letter  which  Lord  Monboddo  had 
written  to  me,  containing  some  critical  remarks  upon 
the  style  of  his  "  Journey  to  the  Western  Islands  of 
Scotland."  His  Lordship  praised  the  very  fine  passage 
upon  landing  at  Icolmkill;^  but  his  own  style  being 
exceedingly  dry  and  hard,  he  disapproved  of  the  rich- 
ness of  Johnson's  language,  and  of  his  frequent  use  of 
metaphorical  expressions.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir, 
this  criticism  would  be  just,  if  in  my  style,  superfluous 
words,  or  words  too  big  for  the  thoughts,  could  be 
pointed  out ;  but  this  I  do  not  believe  can  be  done. 
For  instance  ;  in  the  passage  which  Lord  Monboddo 
admires,  '  We  were  now  treading  that  illustrious  re- 
gion,' the  word  illustrious^  contributes  nothing  to  the 
mere  narration  ;  for  the  fact  might  be  told  without  it : 
but  it  is  not,  therefore,  superfluous ;  for  it  wakes  the 
mind  to  peculiar  attention,  where  something  of  more 
than  usual  importance  is  to  be  presented.  '  Illustri- 
ous !' — for  what  \  and  then  the  sentence  proceeds  to 
expand  the  circumstances  connected  with  lona.  And, 
Sir,  as  to  metaphorical  expression,  that  is  a  great  ex- 

*  "  WE  were  now  treading  that  illustrious  island,  which  was  once  the  luminary 
of  the  Caledonian  regions,  whence  savage  clans  and  roving  barbarians  derived  the 
benefits  of  knowledge,  and  the  blessings  of  religion.  To  abstract  the  mind  from 
all  local  emotion  would  be  impossible,  if  it  were  endeavoured,  and  would  be  fool- 
ish if  it  were  possible.  Whatever  withdraws  us  from  the  power  of  our  senses, 
whatever  makes  the  past,  the  distant,  or  the  future,  predominate  over  the  present, 
advances  us  in  the  dignity  of  thinking  beings.  Far  from  me,  and  from  my  friends, 
be  such  frigid  philosophy,  as  may  conduct  us,  indifferent  and  unmoved,  over  any 
ground  which  has  been  dignified  by  wisdom,  bravcrv,  or  virtue.  The  man  is  little 
to  be  envied,  whose  patriotism  would  not  gain  force  upon  the  plain  of  Marathon, 
or  whose  piety  would  not  grow  warmer  among  the  ruins  of  lona." 

Had  our  Tour  produced  nothing  else  but  this  sublime  passage,  the  world  must 
have  acknowledged  that  it  was  not  made  in  vain.  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  the  present 
respectable  President  of  the  Royal  Society,  told  me,  he  was  so  much  struck  00 
reading  it,  that  he  clasped  his  hands  together,  and  remained  for  some  time  in  »a 
attitude  pf  silent  admir<ition. 


:U. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  +2.^ 

cellence  in  style,  when  it  is  used  with  propriety,  for  it  i777. 
gives  you   two  ideas  for  one  ; — conveys  the  meaning  ^ 
more   luminously,  and  generally  with  a  perception  ot"   (;g 
delight." 

He  told  me,  that  he  had  been  asked  to  undertake 
the  new  edition  of  the  Bioiiruphia  Britannicu,  but  had 
declined  it ;  which  he  afterwards  said  to  me  he  regret- 
ted. In  this  regret  many  will  join,  because  it  would 
have  procured  us  more  of  Johnson's  most  delightful 
species  of  writing  ;  and  although  my  friend  Dr.  Kip- 
pis'  has  hitherto  discharged  the  task  judiciously,  dis- 
tinctly, and  with  more  impartiality  than  might  have 
been  expected  from  a  Separatist,  it  were  to  have  been 
wished  that  the  superintendance  of  this  literary  Temple 
of  Fame  had  been  assigned  to  "  a  friend  to  the  consti- 
tution in  Church  and  State."  We  should  not  then 
have  had  it  too  much  crowded  with  obscure  dissenting^ 
teachers,  doubtless  men  of  merit  and  worth,  but  not 
quite  to  be  numbered  amongst  "  the  most  eminent 
persons  who  have  flourished  in  Great  Britain  and  Ire- 
land."" 


"  [After  having  given  to  the  publick  the  first  five  volumes  of  a  new  edition  of 
BiOGRAPHiA  Britannica,  between  the  years  1778  and  1793,  Dr.  Kippis  died. 
October  8,  1795  ;  and  the  work  is  not  likely  to  be  soon  completed.     M.] 

f  In  this  censure  which  has  been  carelessly  uttered,  I  carelessly  joined.  But  in 
justice  to  Dr.  Kippis,  who,  with  that  manly  candid  good  temper  which  marks  hii 
character,  set  me  right,  I  now  with  pleasure  retract  it ;  and  I  desire  it  may  be  par- 
ticularly observed,  as  pointed  out  by  him  to  me,  that,  "  The  new  lives  of  dissenting 
Divines, in  the  first  four  volumes  of  the  second  edition  of  the  '  Bicgrapbia  Biiiannka^ 
are  tliose  of  John  Abernethy,  Thomas  Amory,  George  Benson,  Hugh  Broughton 
the  learned  Puritan,  Simon  Browne,  Joseph  Boyse  of  Dublin,  Thomas  Cartwright 
the  learned  Puritan,  and  Samuel  Chandler.  The  only  doubt  I  have  ever  heard 
suggested  is,  wliether  there  should  have  been  an  article  of  Dr.  Amory.  But  I  was 
convinced,  and  am  still  convinced,  that  he  was  entitled  to  one,  from  the  reality  of 
his  learning,  and  the  sxcellent  and  candid  nature  of  his  practical  writings. 

"  The  new  lives  of  clergymen  of  the  church  of  England,  in  the  same  four  vol- 
\imes,  are  as  follows  :  John  Balguy,  Edward  Bentham,  George  Berkley  Bishop  of 
Cloyne,  William  Berriman,  Thomas  Birch,  William  Borlase,  Thomas  Bott,  James 
Bradley,  Thomas  Broughton,  John  Brown,  John  Burton,  Joseph  Butler  Bishop  of 
Durham,  Thomas  Carte,  Edmund  Castell,  Edmund  Chishull,  Charles  Churchill, 
William  Clarke,  Robert  Clayton  Bishop  of  Clogher,  John  Conybeare  Bishop  of 
Bristol,  George  Costard,  and  Samuel  Croxall. — ^  I  am  not  conscious  (says  Dr.  Kip- 
pis) of  any  partiality  in  conducting  the  worL  I  would  not  willingly  insert  a  Dis- 
senting Minister  that  does  not  justly  deserve  to  be  noticed,  or  omit  an  establislied 
clergyman  that  does.  At  the  same  time,  I  shall  not  be  deterred  from  introducing 
Dissenters  into  the  Biographia,  when  I  am  satisfied  that  they  are  entided  to  ttat 
distinction,  from  their  writings,  learning,  aad  merit." 

VOL.   IT.  5\ 


426  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  On  Saturday,  September  20,  after  breakfast,  when 
^^  Taylor  was  gone  out  to  his  tarm,  Dr.  Johnson  and  I 
68.  had  a  serious  conversation  by  ourselves  on  melancholy 
and  madness ;  which  he  was,  I  always  thought,  errone- 
ously inclined  to  confound  together.  Melancholy,  hke 
*'  great  wit,"  may  be,  "  near  allied  to  madness  ;"  but 
there  is,  in  my  opinion,  a  distinct  separation  between 
them.  When  he  talked  of  madness,  he  was  to  be  un- 
derstood as  speaking  of  those  who  were  in  any  great 
degree  disturbed,  or  as  it  is  commonly  expressed, 
"  troubled  in  mind."  Some  of  the  ancient  philosophers 
held,  that  all  deviations  from  right  reason  were  mad- 
ness ;  and  whoever  wishes  to  see  the  opinions  both  of 
ancients  and  moderns  upon  this  subject,  collected  and 
illustrated  with  a  variety  of  curious  facts,  may  read  Dr. 
Arnold's  very  entertaining  work,^ 

.Johnson  said,  "  A  madman  loves  to  be  with  people 
whom  he  fears  ;  not  as  a  dog  fears  the  lash  ;  but  of 
whom  he  stands  in  awe."  I  was  struck  with  the  justice 
of  this  observation.  To  be  with  those  of  whom  a  per- 
son, whose  mind  is  wavering  and  dejected,  stands  in 
awe,  represses  and  composes  an  uneasy  tumult  of 
spirits,'  and  consoles  him  with  the  contemplation  of 
something  steady,  and  at  least  comparatively  great. 

He  added,  "  Madmen  are  all  sensual  in  the  lower 
stages  of  the  distemper.  They  are  eager  for  gratifica- 
tions to  sooth  their  minds,  and  divert  their  attention 
from  the  misery  which  they  suffer  :  but  when  they 
grow  very  ill,  pleasure  is  too  weak  for  them,  and  they 
seek  for  pain.-     Employment,  Sir,  and  hardships,  pre- 

Let  me  add  that  the  expression  "  A  friend  to  the  Constitution  in  Church  and 
State,"  was  not  meant  by  me,  as  any  reflection  upon  this  Reverend  Gentleman,  as 
if  he  were  an  enemy  to  the  poHticaJ  constitution  of  his  country,  as  estabhshed  at 
the  revohition,  but  from  my  steady  and  avowed  predilection  for  a  Tory,  was  quot- 
ed from  "  Johnson's  Dictionary"  where  that  distinction  is  so  defined. 

'  «  Observations  on  Insanity,"  by  Thomas  Arnold,  M.  D.  London,  1782. 

'  [Cardon  composed  his  mind,  tending  to  madness,  (or  rather  actually  mad,  for 
such  he  seems  in  his  writings,  learned  as  they  are,)  by  exciting  voluntary  pain. 
V.  Card.  Op.  et  Vit.     K.] 

'  We  read  in  the  Gospels,  that  those  unfortunate  persons,  who  were  possessed 
with  evil  spirits,  (which,  after  all,  I  think  is  the  most  probable  cause  of  madness,  as 
was  first  suggested  to  me  by  my  respectable  friend  Sir  John  Pringle,)  had  recourse 
to  pain,  tearing  themsclrcs  and  jumping  sometimes  into  the  fire,  sometimes  into  the 


DR.    JOHNSON.  4?7 

vent  mclanclioly.     1  suppose  in  all  our  army  in  Amcr-  »777- 
iea  there  was  not  one  man  who  went  mad."  ^t^ 

We  entered  seriously  upon  a  question  of  much  im-  cs. 
portance  to  me,  which  Johnson  was  pleased  to  consider 
with  friendly  attention.  1  had  long  complained  to  him 
tliat  1  f(dt  myself  discontented  in  Scotland,  as  too  nar- 
row a  sphere,  and  that  1  wished  to  make  my  chief  resi- 
dence in  London,  the  great  scene  of  ambition,  instruc- 
tion, and  amusement :  a  scene,  which  was  to  me,  com- 
paratively speaking,  a  heaven  upon  earth.  Johnson. 
*'  Why,  Sir,  I  never  knew  any  one  who  had  such  a  gust 
for  London  as  you  have :  and  I  cannot  blame  you  for 
your  wish  to  live  there  :  yet.  Sir,  were  I  in  your  father's 
place,  I  should  not  consent  to  your  settling  there  ;  for  I 
have  the  old  feudal  notions,  and  1  should  be  afraid  that 
Auchinleck  would  be  deserted,  as  you  would  soon  find 
it  more  desirable  to  have  a  country-seat  in  a  better  cli- 
mate. 1  own,  however,  that  to  consider  it  as  a  duti/ to 
reside  on  a  family  estate  is  a  prejudice ;  for  we  must 
consider,  that  working-people  get  employment  equally, 
and  the  produce  of  land  is  sold  equally,  whether  a  great 
family  resides  at  home  or  not ;  and  if  the  rents  of  an 
estate  be  carried  to  London,  they  return  again  in  the 
circulation  of  commerce  ;  nay,  Sir,  we  must  perhaps  al- 
low, that  carrying  the  rents  to  a  distance  is  a  good,  be- 
cause it  contributes  to  that  circulation.  We  must, 
however,  allow,  that  a  well-regulated  great  family  may 
improve  a  neighbourhood  in  civility  and  elegance,  and 
give  an  example  of  good  order,  virtue  and  piety  ;  and 
so  its  residence  at  home  may  be  of  much  advantage. 
But  if  a  great  family  be  disorderly  and  vicious,  its  resi- 
dence at  home  is  very  pernicious  to  a  neighbourhood. 
There  is  not  now  the  same  inducement  to  live  in  the 
country  as  formerly ;  the  pleasures  of  social  life  are 

water.  Mr.  Seward  has  fumiehed  me  wiili  a  remarkable  anecdote  In  confirmation 
of  Dr.  Johnson's  observation.  A  tradesman  who  had  acquired  a  larj^c  fortune  in ' 
London,  retired  from  business,  and  went  to  live  at  Worcester.  Hii  mind,  being 
wthout  its  usual  occupation,  and  having  nothingeise  to  supply  its  place,  preyed 
upon  itself,  so  that  existence  was  a  torment  to  hiin.  At  last  he  was  seized  with 
the  stone  ;  and  a  friend  who  found  him  in  one  of  its  severest  fits,  having  expresseil 
his  concern,  "  No,  no.  Sir,  (said  he)  don't  pity  me ;  what  I  now  fed  i*  ens,  com- 
pared with  that  torture  of  mind  from  which  it  rtflicTcs  itK"." 


4^5  IHE    LIFE    OF 

5777.  much  better  enjoyed  in  town ;  and  there  is  no  longe* 

JJ^  in  the  country  that  power  and  influence  in  proprietors 

Os.  *  of  land  which  they  had  in  old  times,  and  which  made 

the  country  so  agreeable  to  them.     The  Laird  of  Au- 

chinleck  now  is  not  near  so  great  a  man  as  the  Laird  of 

Auchinleck  was  a  hundred  years  ago." 

1  told  him,  that  one  of  my  ancestors  never  went  from 
home  without  being  attended  by  thirty  men  on  horse- 
back. Johnson's  shrewdness  and  spirit  of  enquiry  were 
exerted  upon  every  occasion.  "  Pray  (said  he,)  how 
did  your  ancestor  support  his  thirty  men  and  thirty 
horses  when  he  went  at  a  distance  from  home,  in  an 
age  when  there  was  hardly  any  money  in  circulation  !" 
1  suggested  the  same  difficulty  to  a  friend  who  mention- 
ed Douglas's  going  to  the  Holy  Land  with  a  numerous 
train  of  followers.  Douglas  could,  no  doubt,  maintain 
followers  enough  while  living  upon  his  own  lands,  the. 
produce  of  which  supplied  them  with  food ;  but  he 
could  not  carry  that  food  to  the  Holy  Land ;  and  as 
there  was  no  commerce  by  which  he  could  be  supplied 
with  money,  how  could  he  maintain  them  in  foreign 
countries  ? 

I  suggested  a  doubt,  that  if  I  were  to  reside  in  Lon- 
don, the  exquisite  zest  with  which  1  relished  it  in  oc- 
casional visits  might  go  off,  and  I  might  grow  tired  of  it. 
Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  you  find  no  man,  at  all  intellect- 
ual, who  is  willing  to  leave  London.  No,  Sir,  when  a 
man  is  tired  of  London,  he  is  tired  of  Life  ;  for  there  is 
in  London  all  that  life  can  afford." 

To  obviate  his  apprehension,  that  by  settling  in  Lon- 
don 1  might  desert  the  seat  of  my  ancestors,  1  assured 
him  that  1  had  old  feudal  principles  to  a  degree  of  en- 
thusiasm ;  and  that  I  felt  all  the  dulcedo  of  the  natale 
solum.  I  reminded  him,  that  the  Laird  of  Auchinleck 
had  an  elegant  house,  in  front  of  which  he  could  ride 
ten  miles  forward  upon  his  own  territories,  upon  which 
he  had  upwards  of  six  hundred  people  attached  to  him  ; 
that  the  family  seat  was  rich  in  natural  romantick  beau- 
ties of  rock,  wood,  and  water ;  and  that  in  my  "  morn 
of  life"  I  had  appropriated  the  finest  descriptions  in  the 
ancient  Classicks,  to  certain  scenes  there,  which  were 


DR.    JOHNSON.  429 

thus  associated  in  my  mind.     That  when  all  this  was  1777- 
considered,  I  should  certiiinly  pass  a  part  of  the  year  at  ^^^ 
home,  and  enjoy  it  the  more  from  variety,  and  from   on. 
bringing  with  me  a  share  of  the  intellectual  stores  of 
the  metropolis.     He  listened  to  all  this,  and  kindly 
"  hoped  it  might  be  as  1  now  supposed." 

He  said,  a  country  gentleman  should  bring  his  lady 
to  visit  London  as  soon  as  he  can,  that  they  may  havt- 
agreeable  topicks  for  conversation  when  they  are  by 
themselves. 

As  I  meditated  trying  my  fortune  in  ^yestminster 
Hall,  our  conversation  turned  upon  the  profession  of  the 
law  in  England.  Johnson.  "  You  .must  not  indulge 
too  sanguine  hopes,  should  you  be  called  to  our  bar.  J 
was  told,  by  a  very  sensible  Lawyer,  that  there  are  a 
great  many  chances  against  any  man's  success  in  the 
profession  of  the  law  ;  the  candidates  are  so  numerous, 
and  those  who  get  large  practice  so  few.  He  said,  it 
was  by  no  means  true  that  a  man  of  good  parts  and  ap- 
plication is  sure  of  having  business,  though  he,  indeed, 
allowed  that  if  such  a  man  could  but  appear  in  a  few 
causes,  his  merit  would  be  known,  and  he  would  get 
forward  ;  but  that  the  great  risk  was,  that  a  man  might 
pass  half  a  life-time  in  the  Courts,  and  never  have  an 
opportunity  of  shewing  his  abilities."* 

We  talked  of  employment  being  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  preserve  the  mind  from  wearying  and  growing 
fretful,  especially  in  those  who  have  a  tendency  to 
melancholy  ;  and  I  mentioned  to  him  a  saying  which 
somebody  had  related  of  an  American  savage,  who, 
when  an  European  was  expatiating  on  all  the  advan- 
tages of  money,  put  this  question  :  "  Will  it  purchase 
occupation  /"  Johnson.  "  Depend  upon  it.  Sir,  this 
saying  is  too  refined  for  a  savage.  And,  Sir,  money 
will  purchase  occupation  ;  it  will  purchase  all  the  con- 

'  Now,  at  the  distance  of  fifteen  years  since  this  conversation  passed,  the  obser- 
vation which  I  have  had  an  opportunity  of  making  in  Wesminster  Hall,  has  con- 
vinced me,  that,  however  tn;e  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Johnson's  legal  friend  may  have 
neen  some  time  ago,  t!fc  same  certainty  of  success  cannot  now  be  j^romised  to  t!;e 
same  display  of  merit.  The  reasons,  however,  of  the  rapid  rise  of  some,  and  the 
disappointment  of  others  equally  respectable,  are  such  as  it  might  seem  invidious 
»  mention,  and  would  require  a  longer  detail  thao  would  be  proper  for  tliis  work. 


450  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  veniencies  of  life  ;  it  will  purchase  variety  of  company ; 

^^J^^  it  will  purchase  all  sorts  of  entertainment." 

Cs.  '      I  talked  to  him  of  Forster's  "  Voyage  to  the  South 

Seas,"  which  pleased  me  ;  but  I  found  he  did  not  like 

it.     "  Sir,  (said  he,)  there  is  a  great  affectation  of  fine 

writing  in  it."     Boswell.  "  But  he  carries  you  along 

with  him."     Johnson.  "  No,  Sir  ;  he  does  not  carry 

9}ie  along  with   him  :  he  leaves  me  behind  him :  or 

I     rather,  indeed,   he  sets  me  before  him  ;  for  he  makes 

J    me  turn  over  many  leaves  at  a  time." 

On  Sunday,  September  21,  we  went  to  the  church 
of  Ashbourne,  which  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
luminous  that  1  have  seen  in  any  town  of  the  same 
size.  1  felt  great  satisfaction  in  considering  that  I  was 
supported  in  my  fondness  for  solemn  publick  worship 
by  the  general  concurrence  and  munificence  of  man- 
kind. 

Johnson  and  Taylor  were  so  different  from  each 
©ther,  that  1  wondered  at  their  preserving  an  intimacy. 
Their  having  been  at  school  and  college  together, 
might,  in  some  degree,  account  for  this  ;  but  Sir  Joshua 
Reynolds  has  furnished  me  with  a  stronger  reason  ;  for 
Johnson  mentioned  to  him,  that  he  had  been  told  by 
Taylor  he  was  to  be  his  heir.  I  shall  not  take  upon 
me  to  animadvert  upon  this  ;  but  certain  it  is  that 
Johnson  paid  great  attention  to  Taylor.  He  now,  how- 
ever, said  to  me,  "  Sir,  1  love  him  ;  but  I  do  not  love 
him  more  ;  my  regard  for  him  does  not  increase.  As 
it  is  said  in  the  Apocrypha,  '  his  talk  is  of  bullocks.'-* 
I  do  not  suppose  he  is  very  fond  of  my  company.  His 
habits  are  by  no  means  sufficiently  clerical  :  this  he 
knows  that  I  see ;  and  no  man  likes  to  live  under  the 
eye  of  perpetual  disapprobation." 

I  have  no  doubt  that  a  good  many  sermons  were 
composed  for  Taylor  by  Johnson.  At  this  time  I 
found,  upon  his  table,  a  part  of  one  which  he  had  newly 
begun  to  write  :  and  Concio  pro  Taifloro  appears  in 
one  of  his  diaries.     When  to  these  circumstances  we 


f 


*  Ecclesiasticus,  chap,  xxxviii.  v.  25.  The  whole  chapter  may  be  read  as  an  ad» 
mirable  illustration  of  the  superiority  of  cuhivated  minds  over  the  jjrojs  and  iDi.t» 
erate. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  431 

add  the  internal  evidence  from  the  power  of  thinking  '777. 
and  style,  in  the  collection  which  the  Reverend  Mr.  '^^ 
Hayes  had  published,  with  the  significunt  title  of  "  Ser-    c>%. 
mons  left  for  publication  by  the  Reverend  John  Tay- 
lor, LL.  D."  our  conviction  will  be  complete. 

1,  however,  would  not  have  it  thought,  that  Dr. 
Taylor,  though  he  could  not  write  like  Johnson,  (as, 
indeed,  who  could  ?)  did  not  sometimes  compose  ser- 
mons as  good  as  those  which  we  generally  have  from 
very  respectable  divines.  He  shewed  me  one  with 
notes  on  the  margin  in  Johnson*s  hand-writing  ;  and  I 
was  present  when  he  read  another  to  Johnson,  that  he 
might  have  his  opinion  of  it,  and  Johnson  said  it  was 
"  very  well."  These,  we  may  be  sure,  were  not  John- 
son's ;  for  he  was  above  little  arts,  or  tricks  of  decep- 
tion. 

Johnson  was  by  no  means  of  opinion,  that  every  man 
of  a  learned  profession  should  consider  it  as  incumbent 
upon  him,  or  as  necessary  to  his  credit,  to  appear  as  an 
authour.  When  in  the  ardour  of  ambition  for  literary 
fame,  I  regretted  to  him  one  day  that  an  eminent  Judge 
had  nothing  of  it,  and  therefore  would  leave  no  perpet- 
ual monument  of  himself  to  posterity  ;  "  Alas,  Sir,  (said 
Johnson)  what  a  mass  of  confusion  should  we  have,  if 
every  Bishop,  and  every  Judge,  every  Lawyer,  Physi- 
cian, and  Divine,  were  to  write  books." 

I  mentioned  to  Johnson  a  respectable  person  of  a 
very  strong  mind,  who  had  little  of  that  tenderness 
which  is  common  to  human  nature  ;  as  an  instance  of 
which,  when  I  suggested  to  him  that  he  should  invite 
his  son,  who  had  been  settled  ten  years  in  foreign 
parts,  to  come  home  and  pay  him  a  visit,  his  answer 
was.  "  No,  no,  let  him  mind  his  business."  Johnson. 
"  1  do  not  agree  with  him.  Sir,  in  this.  Getting  money 
is  not  all  a  man's  business  :  to  cultivate  kindness  is  a 
valuable  part  of  the  business  of  life." 

In  the  evening,  Johnson  being  in  very  good  spirits, 
entertained  us  with  several  characteristical  portraits,  I 
regret  that  any  of  them  escaped  my  retention  and  dili- 
gence. 1  found  from  experience,  that  to  collect  my 
friend's  conversation  so  as  to  exhibit  it  with  any  degree 


432  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  of  its  original  flavour,  it  was  necessary  to  write  it  down 
SaT  ^v'thout  delay.  To  record  his  sayings,  after  some  dis- 
cs. *  tanceof  time,  was  like  preserving  or  pickling  long-kept 
and  faded  fruits,  or  other  vegetables,  which,  when  in 
that  state,  have  little  or  nothing  of  their  taste  when 
Fresh. 

I  shall  present  my  readers  with  a  series  of  what  I 
gathered  this  evening  from  the  Johnsonian  garden. 

"  My  friend,  the  late  Earl  of  Corke,  had  a  great  de- 
sire to  maintain  the  literary  character  of  his  family  :  he 
was  a  genteel  man,  but  did  not  keep  up  the  dignity  of 
his  rank.  He  was  so  generally  civil,  that  nobody 
thanked  him  for  it.^' 

"  Did  we  not  hear  so  much  said  of  Jack  Wilkes,  we 
should  think  more  highly  of  his  conversation.  Jack 
has  a  great  variety  of  talk.  Jack  is  a  scholar,  and  Jack 
has  the  manners  of  a  gentleman.  But  after  hearing 
his  name  sounded  from  pole  to  pole,  as  the  phoenix  of 
convivial  felicity,  we  are  disappointed  in  his  company. 
He  has  always  been  at  me  :  but  I  would  do  Jack  a 
kindness,  rather  than  not.     The  contest  is  now  over." 

"  Garrick's  gaiety  of  conversation  has  delicacy  and 
elegance  :  Foote  makes  you  laugh  more  ;  but  Foote 
has  the  air  of  a  buffoon  paid  for  entertaining  the  com- 
pany.    He,  indeed,  well  deserves  his  hire." 

"  Colley  Cibber  once  consulted  me  as  to  one  of  his 
birth-day  Odes,  a  long  time  before  it  was  wanted.  I 
objected  very  freely  to  several  passages.  Cibber  lost 
patience,  and  would  not  read  his  Ode  to  an  end.  When 
we  had  done  with  criticism,  we  walked  over  to  Rich- 
ardson's, the  authour  of  '  Clarissa,*  and  I  wondered  to 
find  Richardson  displeased  that  1  '  did  not  treat  Cib- 
ber with  more  respect*  Now,  Sir,  to  talk  of  re^yy^t^ 
for  a  plaijer  /"  (smiling  disdainfully.)  Boswell. 
"  There,  Sir,  you  are  always  heretical  :  you  never  will 
allow  merit  to  a  player."  Johnson.  "  Merit,  Sir, 
what  merit  !  Do  you  respect  a  rope-dancer,  or  a  bal- 
lad singer  ?"  Boswell.  "  No,  Sir  :  but  we  respect  a 
great  player,  as  a  man  who  can  conceive  lofty  senti- 
ments, and  can  express  them  gracefully."  Johnson. 
"  What,  Sir,  a  fellow  who  claps  a  bump  on  his  back, 


DR.    JOHNSON.  4.^'3 

and  a  iLimj)  on  his  leg,  and  cries,  '  I  am  Richard  the  ^111' 
Thin/  /'  Nay,  Sir,  a  ballad-singer  is  a  higher  man,  tor  ^^^ 
he  docs  two  things  ;  he  repeats  and  he  sings  :  there  is  cs. 
both  recitation  and  niusick  in  his  perlbrniance  :  the 
player  only  recites."  Boswell.  "  My  dear  Sir  !  yon 
may  turn  any  thing  into  ridicule.  1  allow,  that  a 
player  of  farce  is  not  entitled  to  respect  ;  he  does  a 
little  thing  :  but  he  who  can  represent  exalted  charac- 
ters, and  touch  the  noblest  passions,  has  very  respect- 
able powers  ;  and  mankind  have  agreed  in  admiring 
great  talents  for  the  stage.  We  must  consider,  too, 
that  a  great  player  does  what  very  few  are  capable  to 
do  :  his  art  is  a  very  rare  faculty.  Who  can  repeat 
Hamlet's  soliloquy,  '  To  be,  or  not  to  be,'  as  Garrick 
does  it  ?"  Johnson.  "  Any  body  may.  Jemmy, 
there,  (a  boy  about  eight  years  old,  who  was  in  the 
room)  will  do  it  as  well  in  a  week."  Bos  well.  '•  No, 
no,  Sir  :  and  as  a  proof  of  the  merit  of  great  acting,  and 
of  the  value  which  mankind  set  upon  it,  Glarrick  has 
got  a  hundred  thousand  pounds."  Johnson.  "  Is 
getting  a  hundred  thousand  pounds  a  proof  of  excel- 
lence I  That  has  been  done  by  a  scoundrel  commis- 
sary." 

This  was  most  fallacious  reasoning.  I  was  sure,  for 
once,  that  1  had  the  best  side  of  the  argument.  I 
boldly  maintained  the  just  distinction  between  a  tra- 
gedian and  a  mere  theatrical  droll  ;  between  those  who 
rouse  our  terrour  and  pity,  and  those  who  only  make 
us  laugh.  If  (said  i)  Betterton  and  Foote  were  to 
walk  into  this  room,  you  would  respect  Betterton  much 
more  than  Foote."  Johnson.  "  If  Betterton  were  to 
walk  into  this  room  with  Foote,  Foote  would  soon  drive 
him  out  of  it.  Foote,  Sir,  quutenics  Foote,  hay  powers 
superiour  to  them  all." 

On  Monday,  September  22,  when  at  breakfast,  I 
unguardedly  said  to  Dr.  Johnson,  "  I  wish  I  saw  you 
and  Mrs.  Macaulay  together."  He  grew  very  angry  ; 
and,  after  a  pause,  while  a  cloud  gathered  on  his  brow, 
he  burst  out,  "  No,  Sir  ;  you  would  not  see  us  quar- 
rel, to  make  you  sport.  Don't  you  know  that  it  is 
very  uncivil  to  pit  two  people  against  one  another  ?" 

VOL.  II.  55 


434  THE    LIFE    OF 

5777.  Then,  checking  himself,  and  wishing  to  be  more  gentle, 
^^^  he  added,  "  1  do  not  say  you  should  be  hanged  or 
68.  drowned  for  this  ;  but  it  is  very  uncivil."  Dr.  Taylor 
thought  him  in  the  wrong,  and  spoke  to  him  privately 
of  it  ;  but  I  afterwards  acknowledged  to  Johnson  that 
I  was  to  blame,  for  I  candidly  owned,  that  1  meant  to 
express  a  desire  to  see  a  contest  between  Mrs.  Macau- 
lay  and  him  ;  but  then  I  knew  how  the  contest  would 
end  ;  so  that  I  was  to  see  him  triumph.  Johnson. 
"  Sir,  you  cannot  be  sure  how  a  contest  will  end  ;  and 
no  man  has  a  right  to  engage  two  people  in  a  dispute 
by  which  their  passions  may  be  inflamed,  and  they 
may  part  with  bitter  resentment  against  each  other.  I 
would  sooner  keep  company  with  a  man  from  whom  I 
must  guard  my  pockets,  than  with  a  man  who  contrives 
to  bring  me  into  a  dispute  with  somebody  that  he  may 

hear  it.     This  is  the  great  fault  of ,  (naming 

one  of  our  friends)  endeavouring  to  introduce  a  sub- 
ject upon  which  he  knows  two  people  in  the  company 
differ."  Bos  well.  "  But  he  told  me,  Sir,  he  does  it 
for  instruction."  Johnson.  "  Whatever,  the  motive 
be,  Sir,  the  man  who  does  so,  does  very  wrong.  He 
has  no  more  right  to  instruct  himself  at  such  risk,  than 
he  has  to  make  two  people  fight  a  duel,  that  he  may 
learn  how  to  defend  himself." 

He  found  great  fault  with  a  gentleman  of  our  ac- 
quaintance for  keeping  a  bad  table.  "  Sir,  (said  he,) 
when  a  man  is  invited  to  dinner,  he  is  disappointed  if 
he  does  not  get  something  good.  I  advised  Mrs. 
Thrale,  who  has  no  card-parties  at  her  house,  to  give 
sweet-meats,  and  such  good  things,  in  an  evening,  as 
are  not  commonly  given,  and  she  would  find  company 
enough  come  to  her  ;  for  every  body  loves  to  have 
things  which  please  the  palate  put  in  their  way,  with- 
out trouble  or  preparation."  Such  was  his  attention 
to  the  m'mutue  of  life  and  manners. 

He  thus  characterised  the  Duke  of  Devonshire, 
grandfather  of  the  present  representative  of  that  very 
respectable  family  :  "  He  was  not  a  man  of  superiour 
abilities,  but  he  was  a  man  strictly  faithful  to  his  word. 
If  for  instance,  he  had  promised  you  an  acorn,  and  none 


DR.    JOHNSON.  a:}.') 

had  grown  that  year  in  his  woods,  he  would  not  have  1777. 
contented  himself  with  that  excuse  :  he  would  have  ^^^^ 
sent  to  Denmark   for  it.     So  unconditional  was  he  in   6'8. 
keeping  his  word  ;  so  high  as  to  the  point  of  honour." 
This  was  a  liberal  testimony  from  the  Tory  Johnson  to 
the  virtue  of  a  great  Whig  nobleman. 

Mr.  Burke's  "  letter  to  the  Sherilis  of  Bristol,  on  thrt 
aft'airs  of  America,"  being  mentioned,  Johnson  censur- 
ed the  composition  much,  and  he  ridiculed  the  defini- 
tion of  a  free  government,  viz.  "  For  any  practical 
purpose,  it  is  what  the  people  think  so."' — "  I  will  let 
the  King  of  France  govern  me  on  those  conditions, 
(said  he,)  for  it  is  to  be  governed  just  as  1  please." 
And  when  Dr.  Taylor  talked  of  a  girl  being  sent  to  a 
parish  workhouse,  and  asked  how  much  she  could  be 
obliged  to  work  I  "  Why,  (said  Johnson,)  as  much  as 
is  reasonable  :  and  what  is  that  I  as  much  as  she  thinks 
reasonable." 

Dr.  Johnson  obligingly  proposed  to  carry  me  to  see 
Islam,  a  romantick  scene,  now  belonging  to  a  family 
of  the  name  of  Port,  but  formerly  the  seat  of  the  Con- 
greves.  I  suppose  it  is  well  described  in  some  of  the 
Tours.  Johnson  described  it  distinctly  and  vividly,  at 
which  I  could  not  but  express  to  him  my  wonder  ; 
because,  though  my  eyes,  as  he  observed,  were  better 
than  his,  I  could  not  by  any  means  equal  him  in  rep- 
resenting visible  objects.  I  said,  the  difference  between 
us  in  this  respect  was  as  that  between  a  man  who  has 
a  bad  instrument,  but  plays  well  on  it,  and  a  man  who 
has  a  good  instrument,  on  which  he  can  play  very  im- 
perfectly. 

I  recollect  a  very  fine  amphitheatre,  surrounded 
with  hills  covered  with  woods,  and  walks  neatly  formed 
along  the  side  of  a  rocky  steep,  on  the  quarter  next 
the  house,  with  recesses  under  projections  of  rock, 
overshadowed  with  trees  ;  in  one  of  which  recesses, 
we  were  told,  Congreve  wrote  his  "  Old  Bachelor." 
We  viewed  a  remarkable  natural  curiosity  at  Jslam  ; 
two  rivers  bursting  near  each  other  from  the  rock,  not 
from  immediate  springs,  but  after  having  run  for  many 

*  Edit.  2,  p.  53. 


436  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  miles  under  ground.  Plott,  in  his  "  History  of  Stal- 
^taT  t<^J'dshire/'*  gives  an  account  of  this  curiosity  ;  but 
68.  Johnson  would  not  behave  it,  though  we  had  the 
attestation  of  the  gardener,  who  said,  he  had  put  in 
corks,  where  the  river  Manyfold  sinks  into  the  ground, 
and  had  catched  them  in  a  net,  placed  before  one  of 
the  openings  where  the  water  bursts  out.  Indeed, 
such  subterraneous  courses  of  water  are  found  in  va- 
rious parts  of  our  globe.'' 

Talking  of  Dr.  Johnson's  unwillingness  to  believe 
extraordinary  things,  1  ventured  to  say.  Sir,  you  come 
near  Hume's  argument  against  miracles,  "  That  it  is 
more  probable  witnesses  should  lie,  or  be  mistaken, 
than  that  they  should  happen.'^  Johnson.  "  Why, 
Sir,  Hume,  taking  the  proposition  simply,  is  right. 
But  the  Christian  revelation  is  not  proved  by  the  mir- 
acles alone,  but  as  connected  with  prophecies,  and 
with  the  doctrines  in  confirmation  of  which  the  miracles 
were  wrought." 

iie  re{>eated  his  observation,  that  the  differences 
among  Christians  are  really  of  no  consequence.  "  For 
instance,  (said  he,)  if  a  Protestant  objects  to  a  Papist, 
'  You  worship  images  ;'  the  Papist  can  answer,  '  1  do 
not  insist  on  your  doing  it  ;  you  may  be  a  very  good 
Papist  without  it  :  1  do  it  only  as  a  help  to  my  devo- 
tion." I  said,  the  great  article  of  Christianity  is  the 
revelation  of  immortality.  Johnson  admitted  it  was. 
In  the  evening,  a  gentleman-farmer,  who  was  on  a 
visit  at  Dr.  Taylor's,  attempted  to  dispute  with  John- 
son in  favour  of  Mungo  Campbell,  who  shot  Alexan- 
der, Earl  of  Eglintoune,  upon  his  having  fallen,  when 
retreating  from  his  Lordship,  who  he  believed  was 
about  to  seize  his  gun,  as  he  had  threatened  to  do. 
He  said,  he  should  have  done  just  as  Campbell  did. 
Johnson.  "  Whoever  would  do  as  Campbell  did,  de- 
serves to  be  hanged  ;  not  that  1  could,  as  a  juryman, 
have  found  him  legally  guilty  of  murder  ;  but  1  am 
glad  they  found  means  to  convict  him."     The  gentle- 

^  Page  89. 
'  See  Plott's  "  History  of  Staffordshire,"  p.  S8,  and  the  autliorities  referred  to  by 
him. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  4*37 

man-farmer  said,  ''  A  poor  man   has  as  much  honour  »777. 
as  a  rich   man  ;  and   Campbell  had  that  to  defend."  J^^ 
Johnson   exclaimed,  "  A  ])oor  man   has   no   honour."   cs. 
The  linglish  yeoman,  not  dismayed,  proceeded  :  "  Lord 
Eghntoune  was  a  damned  fool  to  run  on  upon  Camp- 
bell, after   being   warned  that   Campbell   would  shoot 
him  if  he  did."     Johnson,  who  could  not  Ix.nir  any 
thing  like  swearing,  angrily  replied,  "  He  was  not  a 
damned  fool  :  he   only  thought  too  well  of  Campbell. 
lie  did  not  believe  Campbell  would  be  such  a  damned 
scoundrel,  as  to  do  so  damned  a  thing."     His  emphasis 
on  damned^  accompanied  with  frowning  looks,  reproved 
his  opponent's  want  of  decorum  in  his  presence. 

Talking  of  the  danger  of  being  mortified  by  rejection, 
when  making  approaches  to  the  acquaintance  of  the 
great,  1  observed,  "  1  am,  however,  generally  for  trying, 
*  Nothing  venture,  nothing  have."  Johnson.  "  Very 
true,  Sir ;  but  I  have  always  been  more  afraid  of  failing, 
than  hopeful  of  success."  And,  indeed,  though  he  had 
all  just  respect  for  rank,  no  man  ever  less  courted  the 
favour  of  the  great. 

During  this  interview  at  Ashbourne,  Johnson  seemed 
to  be  more  uniformly  social,  cheerful,  and  alert,  than  I 
had  almost  ever  seen  him.  He  was  prompt  on  great 
occasions  and  on  small.  Taylor,  who  praised  every 
thing  of  his  own  to  excess,  in  short,  "  whose  geese 
were  all  swans,"  as  the  proverb  says,  expatiated  on  the 
excellence  of  his  bull-dog,  which  he  told  us,  was  "  per- 
fectly well  shaped."  Johnson,  after  examining  the  an- 
imal attentively,  thus  repressed  the  vain-glory  of  our 
host : — "  No,  Sir,  he  is  not  well  shaped  ;  for  there  is  not 
the  quick  transition  from  the  thicknessof  the  fore-part, 
to  the  tenuitij — the  thin  part — behind, — which  a  bull- 
dog ought  to  have."  This  tenuity,  was  the  only  hard 
Tvord  that  1  heard  him  use  during  this  interview,  and  it 
will  be  observed,  he  instantly  put  another  expression  in 
its  place.  Taylor  said,  a  small  bull-dog  was  as  good  as 
a  large  one.  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir  ;  for,  in  proportion 
to  his  size,  he  has  strength  :  and  your  argument  would 
prove,  that  a  good  bull-dog  may  be  as  small  as  a  mouse." 
It  was  amazing  how  he  entered   with   perspicuity  and 


438  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  keenness  upon  every  thing  that  occurred  in  convcrsa- 
^^  tion.     Most  men,  whom  I  know,  would  no  more  think 
Ss.  '  of  discussing  a  question  about  a  bull-dog,  than  of  at- 
tacking a  bull. 

I  cannot  allow  any  fragment  whatever  that  floats  in 
my  memory  concerning  the  great  subject  of  this  work 
to  be  lost.  Though  a  small  particular  may  appear  tri- 
fling to  some,  it  will  be  relished  by  others  ;  while  every 
\  little  spark  adds  something  to  the  general  blaze  :  and  to 
please  the  true,  candid,  warm  admirers  of  Johnson,  and 
in  any  degree  increase  the  splendour  of  his  reputation, 
I  bid  defiance  to  the  shafts  of  ridicule,  or  even  of  ma- 
lignity. Showers  of  them  have  been  discharged  at  my 
*'  Journal  of  a  Tour  to  the  Hebrides;"  yet  it  still  sails 
unhurt  along  the  stream  of  time,  and  as  an  attendant 
upon  Johnson, 

"  Pursues  the  triumph,  and  partakes  the  gale.'^ 
One  morning  after  breakfast,  when  the  sun  shone 
bright,  we  walked  out  together,  and  "  pored"  for  some 
time  with  placid  indolence  upon  an  artificial  water-fall, 
which  Dr.  Taylor  had  made  by  building  a  strong  dyke 
of  stone  across  the  river  behind  the  garden.  It  was  now 
somewhat  obstructed  by  branches  of  trees  and  other 
rubbish,  which  had  come  down  the  river,  and  settled 
close  to  it.  Johnson,  partly  from  a  desire  to  see  it  play 
more  freely,  and  partly  from  that  inclination  to  activity 
which  will  animate,  at  times,  the  most  inert  and  slug- 
gish mortal,  took  a  long  pole  which  was  lying  on  a  bank, 
and  pushed  down  several  parcels  of  this  wreck  with 
painful  assiduity,  while  1  stood  quietly  by,  wondering 
to  behold  the  sage  thus  curiously  employed,  and  smil- 
ing with  an  humorous  satisfaction  each  time  when  he 
carried  his  point.  He  worked  till  he  was  quite  out  of 
breath  ;  and  having  found  a  large  dead  cat  so  heavy 
that  he  could  not  move  it  after  several  efforts,  "  Come," 
said  he,  (throwing  down  the  pole,)  "  i/ou  shall  take  it 
BOW ;  which  I  accordingly  did,  and  being  a  fresh  man, 
soon  made  the  cat  tumble  over  the  cascade.  This  may 
be  laughed  at  as  too  trifling  to  record  ;  but  it  is  a  small 
characteristic  trait  in  the  Flemish  picture  which  1  give 
of  my  friend,  and  in  which,  therefore,  1  mark  the  most 


DR.   JOHNSON.  439 

minute  particulars.  And  let  it  be  remembered,  that  ^777. 
*'  Asop  at  play"  is  one  of  the  instructive  apologues  of  JJ^ 
antiquity.  (is. 

1  mentioned  an  old  gentleman  of  our  acquaintance 
whose  memory  was  beginning  to  fail.  Johnson. 
*'  There  must  be  a  diseased  mind,  where  there  is  a  fail- 
ure of  memory  at  seventy.  A  man's  head,  Sir,  must 
be  morbid,  if  he  fails  so  soon."  My  friend,  being  now 
himself  sixty-eight,  might  think  thus:  but  1  imagine, 
that  threescore  and  ten ^  the  Psahiiist's  period  of  sound 
human  life  in  later  ages,  may  have  a  failure,  though 
there  be  no  disease  in  the  constitution. 

.Talking  of  Rochester's  Poems,  he  said,  he  had  given 
them  to  iSlr.  Steevens  to  castrate^  for  the  edition  of  the 
poets,  to  which  he  was  to  write  Prefaces.  Dr.  Taylor 
(the  only  time  1  ever  heard  him  sav  any  thing  witty) !> 
observed,  that  "  if  Rochester  had  been  castrated  him- 
self, his  exceptionable  poems  would  not  have  been 
written."  1  asked  if  Burnet  had  not  given  a  good  Life 
of  Rochester.  Johnson.  "  We  have  a  good  Death  : 
there  is  not  much  Life."  I  asked  whether  Prior's  po- 
ems were  to  be  printed  entire  :  Johnson  said,  they  were. 
I  mentioned  Lord  Plailes's  censure  of  Prior,  in  his  Pre- 
face to  a  collection  of  "  Sacred  Poems,"  by  various 
hands,  published  by  him  at  Edinburgh  a  great  many 
years  ago,  where  he  mentions,  "  those  impure  tales 
which  will  be  the  eternal  opprobrium  of  their  ingenious 
authour."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  Lord  Hailes  has  forgot. 
There  is  nothing  in  Prior  that  will  excite  to  lewdness. 
If  Lord  Ilailes  thinks  there  is,  he  must  be  more  com- 
bustible than  other  people."  I  instanced  the  tale  of 
"  Paulo  Purganti  and  his  Wife."  Johnson.  "  Sir, 
there  is  nothing  there,  but  that  his  wife  wanted  to  be 
kissed,  when  poor  Paulo  was  out  of  pocket.  No,  Sir, 
Prior  is  a  lady's  book.  No  lady  is  ashamed  to  have  it 
standing  in  her  library." 

The  hypochondriack  disorder  being  mentioned,  Dr. 
Johnson  did  not  think  it  so  common  as  1  supposed. 

'  [This  was  unuecessary,  for  it  had  been  done  in  the  early  part  of  the  present 
century,  by  Jacob  Tonsoa.     M.] 

I  am  told,  that  Horace  £arl  of  Orford  had  »  coUcccioa  of  Bori'Motf  by  persODs 
whd  never  »aid  but  one. 


440  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777-  "  Dr.  Taylor  (said  he)  is  the  same  one  day  as  another, 
"^^  Burke  and  Reynolds  are  the  same,   Ijeauclerk,  except 
68.    when  in  pain,   is  the  same.     I  am  not  so  myself;  but 
this  1  do  not  mention  commonly." 

I  complained  of  a  wretched  changefulness,  so  that  I. 
could  not  preserve,  for  any  long  continuance,  the  same 
views  of  any  thing.  It  was  most  comfortable  to  me  to 
experience,  in  Dr.  Johnson's  company,  a  relief  from 
this  uneasiness.  His  steady  vigorous  mind  held  firm 
before  me  those  objects  which  my  own  feeble  and  trem- 
ulous imagination  frequently  presented,  in  such  a  wav- 
ering state,  that  my  reason  could  not  judge  well  of  them. 

Dr.  Johnson  advised  me  to-day,  to  have  as  mapy 
books  about  me  as  1  could  ;  that  1  might  read  upon  any 
subject  upon  which  I  had  a  desire  for  instruction  at  the 
time.  "  What  you  read  t/ien,  (said  he,)  you  will  re- 
member ;  but  if  you  have  not  a  book  immediately  ready, 
and  the  subject  moulds  in  your  mind,  it  is  a  chance  if 
you  have  again  a  desire  to  study  it."  He  added,  "  If 
a  man  never  has  an  eager  desire  for  instruction,  he  should 
prescribe  a  task  for  himself.  But  it  is  better  when  a 
man  reads  from  immediate  inclination." 

He  repeated  a  good  many  lines  of  Horace's  Odes, 
while  we  were  in  the  chaise,  I  remember  particularly 
the  Ode  "  Kliciifagaces?^ 

He  said,  the  dispute  as  to  the  comparative  excellence 
of  Homer  or  Virgil'  was  inaccurate.  "  We  must  con- 
sider (said  he)  whether  Homer  was  not  the  greatest 
poet,  though  Virgil  may  have  produced  the  finest  po- 
em.^ Virgil  was  indebted  to  Homer  for  the  whole  in- 
vention of  the  structure  of  an  epick  poem,  and  for  many 
of  his  beauties." 

He  told  me,  that  Bacon  was  a  favourite  authour  with 
him  ;  but  he  had  never  read  his  works  till  he  was  com- 
piling the  English  Dictionary,  in  which  he  said,  I  might 

'  I  am  infonned  by  Mr.  Langton,  that  a  great  many  years  ago  he  was  present 
when  this  question  was  agitated  between  Dr.  Johnson  and  Mr.  Burke  ;  and,  to  use 
Johnson's  phra.;e,  they  "  talked  their  best  ;"  Johnson  for  Homer,  Burke  for  Virgil. 
It  may  well  be  supposed  to  have  been  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  brilliant  contests 
that  ever  was  exhibited.    How  much  must  we  regret  that  it  has  not  been  preserved. 

-  [But  where  is  the  inaccuracy,  if  the  admirers  of  Homer  contend,  that  he  was 
not  only  prior  to  Virgil  in  point  of  time,  but  superior  in  excelieace  ?     J.  B. — O.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  441 

see  t^acon  very  often  q  noted.  Mr.  Seward  recollects  '777. 
his  having  mentioned,  that  a  Dictionary  of  the  English  ^^^ 
Language  miglit  be  compiled  from  liacon's  writings  (ig. 
alone,  and  that  he  had  once  an  intention  of  giving  an 
edition  of  Bacon,  at  least  of  his  English  works,  and 
writing  the  Life  of  that  great  man.  J  lad  he  ex(>cnted 
this  intention,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  he  would  have 
done  it  in  a  most  masterly  manner.  JNIallet's  l^ife  of 
Bacon  has  no  inconsiderable  merit  as  an  acute  and  ele- 
gant dissertation  relative  to  its  subject ;  but  Mallet's 
nnind  was  not  comprehensive  enough  to  embrace  the 
vast  extent  of  Lord  Verulam's  genius  and  research. 
Dr.  Warburton  therefore  observed,  with  witty  justness, 
"  that  Mallet  in  his  Life  of  Bacon  had  forgotten  that  he 
was  a  philosopher ;  and  if  he  should  write  the  Life  of 
the  Duke  of  ^larlborough,  which  he  had  undertaken  to 
do,  he  would  probably  forget  that  he  was  a  General." 

Wishing  to  be  satisfied  what  degree  of  truth  there  was 
in  a  story  which  a  friend  of  Johnson's  and  mine  had 
told  me  to  his  disadvantage,  1  mentioned  it  to  him  in  di- 
rect terms  ;  and  it  was  to  this  effect :  that  a  gentleman 
who  had  lived  in  great  intimacy  with  him,  shewn  him 
much  kindness,  and  even  relieved  him,  from  a  spung- 
ing-house,  having  afterwards  fallen  into  bad  circum- 
stances, was  one  day,  when  Johnson  was  at  dinner  with 
him,  seized  for  debt,  and  carried  to  prison  ;  that  John- 
son sat  still  undisturbed,  and  went  on  eating  and  drink- 
ing; upon  which  the  gentleman's  sister,  who  was  pres- 
ent, could  not  suppress  her  indignation  :  "  What,  Sir, 
(said  she,)  are  you  so  unfeeling,  as  not  even  to  offer  to 
go  to  my  brother  in  his  distress  ;  you  who  have  been  so 
much  obliged  to  him?"  And  that  Johnson  answered, 
"  Madam,  i  owe  him  no  obligation  ;  what  he  did  for  me 
he  would  have  done  for  a  dog." 

Johnson  assured  me,  that  the  story  was  absolutely 
^fiilse  :  but  like  a  man  conscious  of  being  in  the  right, 
and  desirous  of  completely  vindicating  himself  from 
such  a  charge,  he  did  not  arrogantly  rest  on  a  mere  de- 
nial, and  on  his  general  character,  but  proceeded  thus: 
— "  Sir,  I  was  very  intimate  with  that  gentleman,  and 
was  once  relieved  by  him  from  an  arrest ;  but  1  never 

VOL.  II.  56 


442  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  was  present  when  he  was  arrested,  never  knew  that  he 
was  arrested,  and  I  beheve  he  never  was  in  difficulties 
after  the  time  when  he  reheved  me.  1  loved  him  much  : 
yet,  in  talking  ot  his  general  character,  1  may  have  said, 
though  I  do  not  remember  that  I  ever  did  say  so,  that 
cis  his  generosity  proceeded  from  no  principle,  but  was  a 
part  of  bis  profusion,  he  would  do  for  a  dog  what  he  would 
do  for  a  friend  :  but  I  never  applied  this  remark  to  any 
particular  instance,  and  certainly  not  to  his  kindness  to 
nie.  If  a  profuse  man,  who  does  not  value  his  money, 
and  gives  a  large  sum  to  a  whore,  gives  half  as  much, 
or  an  equally  large  sum  to  relieve  a  friend,  it  cannot  be 
esteemed  as  virtue.  This  was  all  that  1  could  say  of 
that  gentleman  ;  and,  if  said  at  all,  it  must  have  been 
said  alter  his  death.  Sir,  1  would  have  gone  to  the 
world's  end  to  relieve  him.  The  remark  about  the  dog, 
if  made  by  me,  was  such  a  sally  as  might  escape  one 
when  painting  a  man  highly." 

On  Tuesday,  September  23,  Johnson  was  remarka- 
bly cordial  to  me.  It  being  necessary  for  me  to  return 
lo  Scotland  soon,  I  had  fixed  on  the  next  day  for  my 
setting  out,  and  I  felt  a  tender  concern  at  the  thought 
of  parting  with  him.  He  had,  at  this  time,  frankly  com- 
municated to  me  many  particulars,  which  are  inserted 
in  this  work  in  their  proper  places ;  and  once,  when  I 
happened  to  mention  that  the  expence  of  my  jaunt 
would  come  to  much  more  than  1  had  computed,  he 
said,  "  Why,  Sir,  if  the  expence  were  to  be  an  incon- 
venience, you  would  have  reason  to  regret  it :  but,  if 
you  have  had  the  money  to  spend,  I  know  not  that  you 
could  have  purchased  as  much  pleasure  with  it  in  any 
other  way." 

During  this  interview  at  Ashbourne,  Johnson  and  1 
frequently  talked  with  wonderful  pleasure  of  mere  trifles 
which  had  occurred  in  our  tour  to  the  Hebrides  ;  for  it 
had  left  a  most  agreeable  and  lasting  impression  upon 
his  mind. 

He  found  fault  with  me  for  using  the  phrase  to  make 
money.  "  Don't  you  see  (said  he)  the  impropriety  of 
it  l  To  make  money  is  to  coin  it :  you  should  say  gef 
money"     The  phrase,  liowever,  is,  1  think,  pretty  cur- 


DR.    JOHNSON,  44:i 

vent.  Hut  Johnson  was  at  all  times  jcmIous  ol  intVac-  '777 
tions  upon  the  genuine  English  Language,  and  prompt  jTi^ 
to  repress  colloquial  barbarisms;  such  as />/tv/:,>7///,'  )iui-  (is. 
selj'  ioY  nn(lcri<tla)i<^ ;  liiie^  tor  depart nient^  or  hrancli, 
as,  the  civil  line^  the  banhing  line.  He  was  particularly 
indignant  against  the  almost  universal  use  of  the  word 
idea  in  the  sense  of  notion  or  ojiinion^  when  it  is  <har 
that  idea  can  only  signify  something  of  which  an  image 
can  be  formed  in  the  mind.  AVe  may  have  an  idea  or 
image  of  a  mountain,  a  tree,  a  building  ;  but  we  cannot 
surely  have  an  idea  or  image  of  an  argument  or  proposi- 
tion.  Yet  we  hear  the  sages  of  the  law  "  delivering 
their  ideas  upon  the  question  \mder  consideration  ;" 
and  the  first  speakers  in  parliament  "  entirely  coinciding 
in  the  idea  which  has  been  ably  stated  by  an  honourable 
member;" — or  "  reprobating  an  idea  unconstitutional, 
and  fraught  with  the  most  dangerous  consequences  to 
a  great  and  free  country."  Johnson  called  this  "  mod- 
ern cant." 

1  perceived  that  he  pronounced  the  word  heard,  as  if 
spelt  with  a  double  e,  heerd,  instead  of  sounding  it  herd. 
as  is  most  usually  done.^  He  said,  his  reason  was,  that 
if  it  were  pronounced  herd,  there  would  be  a  single  ex- 
ception from  the  English  pronunciation  of  the  syllable 
ear,  and  he  thought  it  better  not  to  have  that  exception. 
He  praised  Grainger's  "  Ode  on  Solitude,"  in  Dods- 
ley's  collection,  and  repeated,  with  great  energy,  the 
exordium  : 

"  O  Solitude,  romantick  maid, 

"  Whether  by  nodding  towers  you  tread : 

"  Or  haunt  the  desart's  trackless  gloom, 

"  Or  hover  o'er  the  yawning  tomb  ; 

*'  Or  climb  the  Andes'  clifred  side, 

"  Or  by  the  Nile's  coy  source  abide ; 

•'  Or,  starting  from  your  half-year's  sleep, 

"   From  Hecla  view  the  thawing  deep  ; 

"  Or,  at  the  purple  dawn  of  day, 

"  Tadnor's  marble  waste  survey." 
observing,  "  I'his,  Sir,  is  very  noble." 

'  [In  the  age  of  Queen  Elizabeth  this  word  was  frequently  written,  as  doubtiesa 
it  was  pronounced,  hard.    M.] 


4i4  THE    LIFE    OF 

^  /77.      In  the  evening  our  gentleman-farmer,  and  two  otherSj 
^^  entertained  themselves  and  the  company  with  a  great 
08.  *  number  of  tunes  on  the  fiddle.     Johnson  desired  to 
have  "  Let  ambition  fire  thy  mind,"  played  over  again, 
and  appeared  to  give  a  patient  attention  to  it ;  though 
he  owned  to  me  that  he  was  very  insensible  to  the  pow- 
er of  musick.     1  told  him  that  it  affected  me  to  such  a 
degree,  as  often  to  agitate  my  nerves  painfully,  produc- 
ing in  my  mind  alternate  sensations  of  pathetick  dejec- 
j       tion,  so  that  1  was  ready  to  shed  tears;  and  of  daring 
\      resolution,  so  that  1  was  inclined  to  rush  into  the  thick- 
\      est  part  of  the  battle.     "  Sir  (said  he,)  1  should  never 
hear  it,  if  it  made  me  such  a  fool." 

Much  of  the  effect  of  musick,  I  am  satisfied,  is  ow- 
ing to  the  association  of  ideas.  That  air,  which  instant- 
ly and  irresistibly  excites  in  the  Swiss,  when  in  a  foreign 
land,  the  maludie  du  pais^  has,  1  am  told,  no  intrinsick 
power  of  sound.  And  1  know  from  my  own  experi- 
ence, that  Scotch  reels,  though  brisk,  make  me  melan- 
choly, because  1  used  to  hear  them  in  my  early  years, 
at  a  time  when  Mr.  Pitt  called  for  soldiers  *'  from  the 
mountains  of  the  north,"  and  numbers  of  brave  High- 
landers were  going  abroad,  never  to  return.  Whereas 
the  airs  in  "  The  Beggar's  Opera,"  many  of  which  are 
very  soft,  never  fail  to  render  me  gay,  because  they  are 
associated  with  the  warm  sensations  and  high  spirits  of 
London. — This  evening,  while  some  of  the  tunes  of  or- 
dinary composition  were  played  with  no  great  skill,  my 
frame  was  agitated,  and  1  was  conscious  of  a  generous 
attachment  to  Dr.  Johnson,  as  my  preceptor  and  friend, 
mixed  with  an  affectionate  regret  that  he  was  an  old 
man,  whom  1  should  probably  lose  in  a  short  time.  I 
thought  1  could  defend  him  at  the  point  of  my  sword. 
My  reverence  and  affection  for  him  were  in  full  glow. 
Isaid  to  him,  "  My  dear  Sir,  we  must  meet  every  year, 
if  you  don't  quarrel  with  me."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir, 
you  are  more  likely  to  quarrel  with  me  than  I  with  you. 
My  regard  for  you  is  greater  almost  than  I  have  words 
to  express  ;  but  1  do  not  choose  to  be  always  repeating 
it;  write  it  down  in  the  first  leaf  of  your  pocket-book, 
and  never  doubt  of  it  again." 


DK.    JOHNSON.  44o 

i  talked  to  him  of  niisrry  being  "  the  doom  of  man,"  i//?. 
m  this  life,  as  displayed  in  his  "  \  anity  of  Human  ^^ 
Wishes."  Yet  I  observed  that  things  were  done  upon  6s. 
the  supposition  of  happiness  ;  giaiul  houses  were  built, 
fine  gardens  were  made,  splendid  places  of  publick 
amusement  were  contrived,  and  crowded  with  compa- 
ny. Johnson.  "  Alas,  Sir,  these  are  all  only  struggles 
for  happiness.  When  I  first  entered  Ranelagh,  it  gave 
an  expansion  and  gay  sensation  to  my  mind,  such  as  I 
never  experienced  any  where  else.  But,  as  Xerxes 
wept  when  he  viewed  his  iuunense  army,  and  consid- 
ered that  not  one  of  that  great  multitude  would  be 
alive  a  hundred  years  afterwards,  so  it  went  to  my  heart 
to  consider  that  there  was  not  one  in  all  that  brilliant 
circle,  that  was  not  afraid  to  go  home  and  think  ;  but 
that  the  thoughts  of  each  individual  there,  would  be 
distressing  when  alone."  This  reflection  was  experi- 
mentally just.  The  feeling  of  languor,*  which  suc- 
ceeds the  animation  of  gaiety,  is  itself  a  very  severe 
pain  ;  and  when  the  mind  is  then  vacant,  a  thousand 
disappointments  and  vexations  rush  in  and  excruciate. 
Will  not  many  even  of  my  fairest  readers  allow  this  to 
be  true  I 

1  suggested,  that  being  in  love,  and  flattered  with 
hopes  of  success  ;  or  having  some  favourite  scheme  in 
view  for  the  next  day,  might  prevent  that  wretchedness 
of  which  we  had  been  talking.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir, 
it  may  sometimes  be  so  as  you  suppose  ;  but  my  con- 
clusion is  in  general  but  too  true." 

While  Johnson  and  I  stood  in  calm  conference  by 
ourselves  in  Dr.  Taylor's  garden,  at  a  pretty  late  hour 
in  a  serene  autiunn  night,  looking  up  to  the  heavens, 
I  directed  the  discourse  to  the  subject  of  a  future  state. 
My  friend  was  in  a  placid  and  most  benignant  frame 
of  mind.     "Sir,   (said   he,)   1  do  not  imagine  that  all 

4  Pope  mentions, 

"  Stretch'd  on  the  rack  of  a  too  easy  chair." 
But  I  recollect  a  couplet  quite  apposite  to  my  subject  in  "  Virtue,  an  Etfiick  Epis- 
tle," a  beautiful  and  instructive  poem,  by  an  anonymous  writer,  in  1758  ;  who, 
treating  of  pleasure  in  excess,  says, 

"  Till  languor,  suffering  on  the  rack  of  bliss, 

"  Confess  that  man  was  never  made  for  this." 


4  I'd  THE    LIFE    OF 

i?77.  things  will  be  made  clear  to  us  immediately  after  death, 
^^  but  that  the  ways  of  Providence  will  be  explained  to 
68.  us  very  gradually."  I  ventured  to  ask  him  whether, 
although  the  words  of  some  texts  of  Scripture  seemed 
strong  in  support  of  the  dreadful  doctrine  of  an  eternity 
of  punishment,  we  might  not  hope  that  the  denunci- 
ation was  figurative,  and  would  not  literally  be  execu- 
ted. Johnson.  "  Sir,  you  are  to  consider  the  intention 
of  punishment  in  a  future  state.  We  have  no  reason 
to  be  sure  that  we  shall  then  be  no  longer  liable  to 
offend  against  God.  We  do  not  know  that  even  the 
angels  are  quite  in  a  state  of  security  ;  nay  we  know 
that  some  of  them  have  fallen.  It  may  therefore,  per- 
haps be  necessary,  in  order  to  preserve  both  men  and 
angels  in  a  state  of  rectitude,  that  they  should  have 
continually  before  them  the  punishment  of  those  who 
have  deviated  from  it ;  but  we  may  hope  that  by  some 
other  means  a  fall  from  rectitude  may  be  prevented. 
Some  of  the  texts  of  Scripture  upon  this  subject,  are, 
as  you  observe,  indeed  strong  ;  but  they  may  admit  of 
a  mitigated  interpretation."  He  talked  to  me  upon 
this  awful  and  delicate  question  in  a  gentle  tone,  and 
as  if  afraid  to  be  decisive. 

After  supper  I  accompanied  him  to  his  apartment, 
and  at  my  request  he  dictated  to  me  an  argument  in 
favour  of  the  negro  who  was  then  claiming  his  liberty, 
in  an  action  in  the  Court  of  Session  in  Scotland.  He 
had  always  been  very  zealous  against  slavery  in  every 
form,  in  which  I  with  all  deference  thought  that  he 
discovered  "a  zeal  without  knowledge."  Upon  one 
occasion,  when  in  company  with  some  very  grave  men 
at  Oxford,  his  toast  was,  "  Here's  to  the  next  insur- 
rection of  the  negroes  in  the  West  Indies."  His  violent 
prejudice  against  our  West  Indian  and  American  set- 
tlers appeared  whenever  there  was  an  opportunity. 
Towards  the  conclusion  of  his  "  Taxation  no  Tyran- 
ny," he  says,  "  how  is  it  that  we  hear  the  loudest  //e/ps 
for  liberty  among  the  drivers  of  negroes  ?"  and  in  his 
conversation  with  Mr.  Wilkes ^  he  asked,  "  Where  did 

*  See  page  837  of  this  Volume. 


DH.    JOHNSON.  14/ 

Beckford   and   Trecothick   learn  English  V  'I  hat    I  re-  '777. 
cothick  could  both  speak  and  writc^  good  English    is  ^'^ 
well    known.     1  myself  was  favoured  with  his  corres-    oh. 
Dondence  concerning  the   brave  Corsicans.     And   that 
Beckford  could  speak  it    with  a  spirit  of   honest  reso- 
lution  even   to   his   Majesty,  as   his    "  faithful    F^ord- 
ISlayor  of   Ijontlon,"  is   commemorated   hy   the   noble 
monument  erected  to  him  in  Guildhall. 

The  argument  dictated  by  Dr.  Johnson,  was  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  It  must  be  agreed  that  in  most  ages  many  coun- 
tries have  had  part  of  their  inhabitants  in  a  state  of 
slavery  ;  yet  it  may  be  doubted  whether  slavery  can 
ever  be  supposed  the  natural  condition  of  man.  It  is 
impossible  not  to  conceive  that  men  in  their  original 
state  were  equal ;  and  very  difficult  to  imagine  how 
one  would  be  subjected  to  another  but  by  violent 
compulsion.  An  individual  may,  indeed,  forfeit  his 
liberty  by  a  crime  ;  but  he  cannot  by  that  crime  forfeit 
the  liberty  of  his  children.  What  is  true  of  a  criminal 
seems  true  likewise  of  a  captive.  A  man  mav  accept 
life  from  a  conquering  enemy  on  condition  of  perpet- 
ual servitude  ;  but  it  is  very  doubtful  whether  he  can 
entail  that  servitude  on  his  descendants  ;  for  no  man 
can  stipulate  without  commission  for  another.  The 
condition  which  he  himself  accepts,  his  son  or  grand- 
son perhaps  would  have  rejected.  If  we  should  admit, 
what  perhaps  may  with  more  reason  be  denied,  that 
there  are  certain  relations  between  man  and  man  which 
may  make  slavery  necessary  and  just,  yet  it  can  never 
be  proved  that  he  who  is  now  suing  for  his  freedom 
ever  stood  in  any  of  those  relations.  He  is  certainly 
subject  by  no  law,  but  that  of  violence,  to  his  present 
master  ;  who  pretends  no  claim  to  his  obedience,  but 
that  he  bought  him  from  a  merchant  of  slaves,  whose 
right  to  sell  him  never  was  examined.  It  is  said  that 
according  to  the  constitutions  of  Jamaica  he  was  legal- 
ly enslaved  ;  these  constitutions  are  merely  positive  ; 
and  apparently  injurious  to  the  rights  of  mankind, 
because  whoever  is  exposed  to  sale  is  condemned  to 
slavery  without  appeal  ;  by  whatever  fraud  or  violence 


448  THE    LIFE    OF 

'777.  he  might  have  been  originally  brought  into  the  mer- 
^^  chant's  power.  In  our  own  time  Princes  have  been  sold, 
68,  by  wretches  to  whose  care  they  were  entrusted,  that  they 
might  have  an  European  education  ;  but  when  once 
they  were  brought  to  a  market  in  the  plantations,  little 
would  avail  either  their  dignity  or  their  wrongs.  The 
laws  of  Jamaica  afford  a  Negro  no  redress.  His  colour 
is  considered  as  a  sufficient  testimony  against  him.  It 
is  to  be  lamented  that  moral  right  should  ever  give 
way  to  political  convenience.  But  if  temptations  of 
interest  are  sometimes  too  strong  for  human  virtue, 
let  us  at  least  retain  a  virtue  where  there  is  no  tempta- 
tion to  quit  it.  in  the  present  case  there  is  apparent 
right  on  one  side,  and  no  convenience  on  the  other, 
inhabitants  of  this  island  can  neither  gain  riches  nor 
power  by  taking  away  the  liberty  of  any  part  of  the 
human  species.  The  sum  of  the  argument  is  this  : — 
No  man  is  by  natiire  the  property  of  another  :  The 
defendant  is,  therefore,  by  nature  free  :  The  rights  of 
nature  must  be  some  way  forfeited  before  they  can  be 
justly  taken  away  :  That  the  defendant  has  by  any  act 
forfeited  the  rights  of  nature  we  require  to  be  proved  ; 
and  if  no  proof  of  such  forfeiture  can  be  given,  we 
doubt  not  but  the  justice  of  the  court  will  declare  him 
free." 

I  record   Dr.    Johnson's  argument  fairly   upon   this 
particular  case  ;  where,   perhaps,  he  was  in   the  right. 
But  1  beg  leave  to  enter  my  most  solemn  protest  against 
his  general  doctrine  with  respect  to  the  Slave    Trade. 
For  I  will  resolutely  say — that  his  unfavourable  notion 
of  it  was  owing  to  prejudice,  and  imperfect  or  false  in- 
formation.    The   wild  and  dangerous  attempt   which 
has  for  some  time  been  persisted  in  to  obtain  an  act  of 
^    our  Legislature,  to  abolish  so  very  important  and  neces- 
sary a  branch  of  commercial  interest,   must  have  been 
crushed  at  once,  had  not  the  insignificance  of  the  zeal- 
<^^!       ots  who  vainly  took  the  lead  in  it,  made  the  vast  body 
of  Planters,   Merchants,  and  others,  whose   immense 
X;;;  ~     properties  are  involved  in  that  trade,  reasonably  enough 
X*-        suppose  that  there  could   be  no  danger.     The  encour- 
«\        agement  which  the  attempt  has  received  excites  my 

s 

:^ 

C' 


Dh.    JOHNSON.  449 

wonder  and  indignation  ;  and  though  some  men  of  su-  i???. 
periour  abilities  have  supported  it  ;    whether  from   a  ^tat! 
love  of  temporary  popularity,  when  |)rosperous  ;  or  a   68. 
love  of  general  mischief  when  desperate,  my  opinion  is 
unshaken.     To  abolish  a  staOis,  which  in  all  ages  God 
has  sanctioned,  and  man  has  continued,  would  not  only 
be  robbery  to  an  innumerable  class  of  our  fellow-sub- 
jects ;  but  it  would  be  extreme  cruelty  to  the  African 
Savages,  a  portion  of  whom  it  saves  from  massacre,  or 
intolerable   bondage   in   their  own  country,  and  intro- 
duces into  a  much  happier  state  of  life  ;  especially  now 
when  their  passage  to  the  West-Indies  and  their  treat- 
ment there  is  humanely   regulated.     To  abolish  that 
trade  would  be  to 

" shut  the  gates  of  mercy  on  mankind." 

Whatever  may  have  passed  elsewhere  concerning  it. 
The  House  of  Lords  is  wise  and  independent  : 

Intaminatis  fidget  honoribus  ; 
Nee  SHuut  aut  poult  secures 
Arbltrio  popularis  aurie. 

I  have  read,  conversed,  and  thought  much  upon  the 
subject,  and  would  recommend  to  all  who  are  capable 
of  conviction,  an  excellent  Tract  by  my  learned  and 
ingenious  friend  John  Ranby,  Esq.  entitled  "  Doubts 
on  the  Abolition  of  the  Slave  Trade."  To  Mr.  Ranby's 
"  Doubts,"  1  will  apply  Lord  Chancellor  Hardwicke's 
expression  in  praise  of  a  Scotch  Law  Book;  called 
'  Dirleton's  Doubts  ;*  "  his  Doubts,  (said  his  Lord- 
ship,) are  better  than  most  people's  CertuintiesJ^ 

When  1  said  now  to  Johnson,  that  I  was  afraid  I 
kept  him  too  late  up,  "  No,  Sir,  (said  he,)  I  don't  care 
though  I  sit  all  night  with  you."  This  was  an  animat- 
ed speech  from  a  man  in  his  sixty-ninth  year. 

Had  I  been  as  attentive  not  to  displease  him  as  I  . 
ought  to  have  been,  1  know  not  but  this  vigil  might 
have  been  fulfilled  ;  but  I  unluckily  entered  upon  the 
controversy  concerning  the  right  of  Great-Britain  to 
tax  America,  and  attempted  to  argue  in  favour  of  our 
fellow-subjects  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantick.     I 

VOL.   IT.  57 


4j0  IHE    LIFE    OF 

•  777.  insisted  that  America  might  be  very  well  governed, 
^^J^  and  made  to  yield  sufficient  revenue  by  the  means  of 
68.  influence^  as  exemplified  in  Ireland,  while  the  people 
might  be  pleased  with  the  imagination  of  their  partici- 
pating of  the  British  constitution,  by  having  a  body  of 
representatives,  without  whose  consent  money  could  not 
be  exacted  from  them.  Johnson  could  not  bear  my 
thus  opposing  his  avowed  opinion,  which  he  had  ex- 
erted himself  with  an  extreme  degree  of  heat  to  en- 
force ;  and  the  violent  agitation  into  which  he  was 
thrown,  while  answering,  or  rather  reprimanding  me, 
alarmed  me  so,  that  1  heartily  repented  of  my  having 
unthinkingly  introduced  the  subject.  I  myself,  how- 
ever, grew  warm,  and  the  change  was  great,  from  the 
calm  state  of  philosophical  discussion  in  which  we  had 
a  little  before  been  pleasingly  employed. 

1  talked  of  the  corruption  of  the  British  parliament, 
in  which  I  alledged  that  any  question,  however  un- 
reasonable or  unjust,  might  be  carried  by  a  venal 
majority  ;  and  1  spoke  with  high  admiration  of  the 
Roman  Senate,  as  if  composed  of  men  sincerely  de- 
sirous to  resolve  what  they  should  think  best  for  their 
country.  My  friend  would  allow  no  such  character  to 
the  Roman  Senate  ;  and  he  maintained  that  the  British 
Parliament  was  .not  corrupt,  and  that  there  was  no  oc- 
casion to  corrupt  its  members  ;  asserting,  that  there 
was  hardly  ever  any  question  of  great  importance  be- 
fore Parliament,  any  question  in  which  a  man  might 
not  very  well  vote  either  upon  one  side  or  the  other. 
He  said  there  had  been  none  in  his  time  except  that 
respecting  America. 

We  were  fatigued  by  the  contest,  which  was  pro- 
duced by  my  want  of  caution  ;  and  he  was  not  then 
in  the  humour  to  slide  into  easy  and  chearful  talk.  It 
therefore  so  happened,  that  we  were  after  an  hour  or 
two  very  willing  to  separate  and  go  to  bed. 

On  Wednesday,  September  24,  1  went  into  Dr. 
Johnson's  room  before  he  got  up,  and  finding  that  the 
storm  of  the  preceding  night  was  quite  laid,  1  sat  down 
upon  his  bed-side,  and  he  talked  with  as  much  readi- 
ness and   good  humour  as  ever.     He  recommended  to 


DR.    JOHNSON.  4/)l 

me   to  plant  a   considerable  part  of  a  large  moorish  '777. 
farm  which  1  had  purchased,  and  he  made  several  cal-  ^,\^. 
culations  of  the  cxpence  and  profit  ;  for  he  delighted   (is. 
in  exercising  his  mind  on  the  science  of  numbers.    He 
pressed  upon  me  the  importance  of  planting  at  the  first 
in  a  very  sufficient  manner,  quoting  the  saying  "  In 
hello  non  licet  bis  crrare  ."  and  adding,  "  this  is  equal- 
ly true  in  planting." 

I  spoke  with  gratitude  of  Dr.  Taylor's  hospitality  : 
and  as  evidence  that  it  was  not  on  account  of  his  good 
table  alone  that  Johnson  visited  him  often,  1  mention- 
ed a  little  anecdote  which  had  escaped  my  friend's 
recollection,  and  at  hearing  which  repeated,  he  smiled. 
One  evening,  when  I  was  sitting  with  him,  Frank  de- 
livered this  message  ;  "  Sir,  Dr.  Taylor  sends  his  com- 
pliments to  you,  and  begs  you  will  dine  with  him 
to-morrow.  He  has  got  a  hare." — "  My  compliments 
(said  Johnson)  and  I'll  dine  with  him — hare  or  rabbit." 

After  breakfast  1  departed,  and  pursued  my  journey 
northwards.  I  took  my  post-chaise  from  the  Green 
Man,  a  very  good  inn  at  Ashbourne,  the  mistress  of 
which,  a  mighty  civil  gentlewoman,  courtseying  very 
low,  presented  me  with  an  engraving  of  the  sign  of  her 
house  ;  to  which  she  had  subjoined,  in  her  own  hand- 
writing, an  address  in  such  singular  simplicity  of  style, 
that  1  have  preserved  it  pasted  uptm  one  of  the  boards 
of  my  original  Journal  at  this  time,  and  shall  here  in- 
sert it  for  the  amusement  of  my  readers  : 

"  M.  KILLING  ley's  dutif  xmits  upon  Mr. 
Bos  well,  is  ejcceedin^ly  obliged  to  him  for  this  favour  ; 
whenever  he  comes  this  waij^  hopes  for  a  coniimiunce  of 
the  same.  Would  Mr.  Boswell  name  the  house  to  his 
extensive  acquaintance^  it  would  be  a  singular  favour 
conferred  on  one  who  has  it  not  in  her  poiver  to  make 
anij  other  return  but  her  most  grateful  thanks^  and 
sincerest  prayers  for  his  happiiiess  in  time.,  and  in  a 
blessed  eternity . 
"    Tuesdaif  morn." 

From  this  meeting  at  Ashbourne  I  derived  a  consid- 
erable accession  to  my  Johnsonian  store.     I  communi- 


4<52  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  cated  my  original  Journal  to  Sir  William  Forbes,  in 
MaT  ^hom  i  have  always  placed  deserved  confidence  ;  and 
68.  what  he  wrote  to  me  concerning  it  is  so  much  to  my 
credit  as  the  biographer  of  Johnson,  that  my  readers 
will,  I  hope,  grant  me  their  indulgence  for  here  insert- 
ing it  :  "  It  is  not  once  or  twice  going  over  it  (says  Sir 
William,)  that  will  satisfy  me  ;  for  1  find  in  it  a  high 
degree  of  instruction  as  well  as  entertainment  ;  and  I 
derive  more  benefit  from  Dr.  Johnson's  admirable  dis- 
cussions than  I  should  be  able  to  draw  from  his  personal 
conversation  ;  for,  I  suppose  there  is  not  a  man  in  the 
world  to  whom  he  discloses  his  sentiments  so  freely  as 
to  yourself." 

1  cannot  omit  a  curious  circumstance  which  occur^ 
red  at  Edensor-inn,  close  by  Chatsworth,  to  survey  the 
magnificence  of  which  1  had  gone  a  considerable  way 
out  of  my  road  to  Scotland.  Ihe  inn  was  then  kept 
by  a  very  jolly  landlord,  whose  name,  I  think,  was 
Malton.  He  happened  to  mention  that  "  the  celebrat- 
ed Dr.  Johnson  had  been  in  his  house."  I  enquired 
who  this  Dr.  Johnson  was,  that  1  might  hear  my  host^s 
notion  of  him.  "  Sir,  (said  he,)  Johnson,  the  great 
writer  ;  Odditij^  as  they  call  him.  He's  the  greatest 
writer  in  England  ;  he  writes  for  the  ministry  ;  he  has 
a  correspondence  abroad,  and  lets  them  know  what's 
going  on." 

My  friend,  who  had  a  thorough  dependance  upon 
the  authAiticity  of  my  relation  without  any  embeUish- 
merit  an  faJsehood  or  Jictiou  is  too  gently  called,  laughed 
a  good  deal  at  this  representation  of  himself. 

"    MR.    BOSWELL    TO   DR.   JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Edinburgh,  Sept.  29,  1777. 

"  By  the  first  post  I  inform  j^^ou  of  my  safe  arrival 
at  my  own  house,  and  that  I  had  the  comfort  of  find- 
ing my  wife  and  children  all  in  good  health. 

"  When  1  look  back  upon  our  late  interview,  it  ap- 
pears to  me  to  have  answered  expectation  better  than 
almost  any  scheme  of  happiness  that  1  ever  put  in  ex- 
ecution.    My  Journal  is  stored  with  wisdom  and  wit ; 


DR.    JOHNSON.  4d'3 

and  my  memory  is  filled  with  the  recollection  of  lively  i777. 
and  affectionate  feelings,  which  now,  I  think,  yield  me  ^^^JJT 
more  satisfaction   than    at  the  time  when   they  were   as. 
first  excited.     1  have  experienced  this  upon  other  oc- 
casions.    1  shall  be  obliged  to  you  if  you  will  explain 
it  to  me  ;  for  it  seems   wonderful  that  pleasure  should 
be  more  vivid  at  a  distance  than  when  near.     I  wish 
you   may  find  yourself  in  a  humour  to  do  me  this  fa- 
vour ;  but  J  flatter  myself  with  no  strong  hope  of  it ; 
for   I   have  observed,  that   unless   upon   very  serious 
occasions,  your  letters  to  me  are  not  answers  to  those 
which  I  write." 

[I  then  expressed  much  uneasiness  that  1  had  men- 
tioned to  him  the  name  of  the  gentleman  who  had  told 
me  the  story  so  much  to  his  disadvantage,  the  truth  of 
which  he  had  completely  refuted  ;  for  that  my  having 
done  so  might  be  interpreted  as  a  breach  of  confidence, 
and  offend  one  whose  society  1  valued  : — therefore  ear- 
nestly requesting  that  no  notice  might  be  taken  of  it  to 
any  body,  till  I  should  be  in  London,  and  have  an  op- 
portunity to  talk  it  over  with  the  gentleman.] 

*'  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  You  will  wonder,  or  ynu  have  wondered,  why 
no  letter  has  come  from  me.  What  you  wrote  at  your 
return,  had  in  it  such  a  strain  of  cowardly  caution  as 
gave  me  no  pleasure.  1  could  not  well  do  what  you 
wished  ;  1  had  no  need  to  vex  you  with  a  refusal.     I 

have  seen  Mr.  ,  and  as  to  him  have  set  all  right, 

without  any  inconvenience,  so  far  as  1  know,  to  you. 
Mrs.  Thrale  had  forgot  the  story.  You  may  now  be  at 
ease. 

"  And  at  ease  I  certainly  wish  you,  for  the  kindness 
that  you  showed  in  coming  so  long  a  journey  to  see 
me.  It  was  pity  to  keep  you  so  long  in  pain,  but,  upon 
reviewing  the  matter,  J  do  not  see  what  1  could  have 
done  better  than  I  did. 

"  I  hope  vou  found  at  your  return  my  dear  enemy 
and  all  her  little  people  quite  well,  and  had  no  reason 


454  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  to  repent  of  your  journey.     I  think  on  it  with  great 
^^  gratitude. 

68.  "  i  was  not  well  when  you  left  me  at  the  Doctor's,  and 
I  grew  worse  ;  yet  I  staid  on,  and  at  Lichfield  was  very 
ill.  Travelling,  however,  did  not  make  me  worse  ;  and 
when  I  came  to  London,  1  complied  with  a  summons 
to  go  to  Brighthelmstone,  where  1  saw  Beauclerk,  and 
staid  three  days. 

"  Our  Club  has  recommenced  last  Friday,  but  I  was 
not  there.  Langton  has  another  wench."*  Mrs.  Thrale 
is  in  hopes  of  a  young  brewer.  They  got  by  their  trade 
last  year  a  very  large  sum,  and  their  expences  are  pro- 
portionate. 

"  Mrs.  Williams's  health  is  very  bad.  And  I  have  had 
for  some  time  a  very  difficult  and  laborious  respiration  ; 
but  1  am  better  by  purges,  abstinence,  and  other  meth- 
ods. I  am  yet,  however,  much  behind-hand  in  my 
health  and  rest. 

"  Dr.  Blair's  sermons  are  now  universally  commend- 
ed ;  but  let  him  think  that  I  had  the  honour  of  first 
finding  and  first  praising  his  excellencies.  1  did  not 
stay  to  add  my  voice  to  that  of  the  publick. 

"  My  dear  Friend,  let  me  thank  you  once  more  for 
your  visit ;  you  did  me  great  honour,  and  I  hope  met 
with  nothing  that  displeased  you.  I  staid  long  at  Ash- 
bourne, not  much  pleased,  yet  aukward  at  departing. 
I  then  went  to  Lichfield,  where  1  found  my  friend  at 
Stow-hill'  very  dangerously  diseased.  Such  is  life. 
Let  us  try  to  pass  it  well,  whatever  it  be,  for  there  is 
surely  something  beyond  it. 

"  Well,  now,  1  hope  all  is  well,  write  as  soon  as  you 
can,  to,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  affectionate  servant, 

"  London^  Nov.  25,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

"  TO    DR.    SAMUEL  JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Edinburgh^  Nov.  29,  1777. 

"  This  day's  post  has  at  length  relieved  me  from 

much  uneasiness,  by  bringing  me  a  letter  from  you.     I 

''  A  daughter  born  to  him.  '  Mrs.  Aston. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  45i» 

was,  indeed,  doubly  uneasy  ; — on  my  own  account  and  '»777. 
yours.  1  was  very  anxious  to  be  secured  against  any  ^'^ 
bad  consetiuences  from  my  imprudence  in  mentioning  op. 
the  gentleman's  name  who  had  told  me  a  story  to  your 
disadvantage  ;  and  as  I  could  hardly  suppose  it  possible, 
that  you  would  delay  so  long  to  make  me  easy,  unless 
you  were  ill,  1  was  not  a  little  apprehensive  about  you. 
You  must  not  be  ofl'ended  when  1  venture  to  tell  you 
that  you  appear  to  me  to  have  been  too  rigid  upon  this 
occasion.  The  '  cowardly  caution  n^hich  gave  ijou  no 
pleasure'  was  suggested  to  me  by  a  friend  here,  to 
whom  I  mentioned  the  strange  story  and  the  detection 
of  its  falsity,  as  an  instance  how  one  may  be  deceived 
by  what  is  apparently  very  good  authority.  But,  as  I 
am  still  persuaded,  that  as  1  might  have  obtained  the 
truth,  without  mentioning  the  gentleman's  name,  it  was 
wrong  in  me  to  do  it,  1  cannot  see  that  you  are  just  in 
blaming  my  caution.  But  if  you  were  ever  so  just  in 
your  disapprobation,  might  you  not  have  dealt  more 
tenderly  with  me  \ 

"  1  went  to  Auchinleck  about  the  middle  of  October, 

and  passed  some  time  with  my  father  very  comfortably. 

****** 

"  I  am  engaged  in  a  criminal  prosecution  against  a 
country  schoolmaster,  for  indecent  behaviour  to  his  fe- 
male scholars.  There  is  no  statute  against  such  abom- 
inable conduct ;  but  it  is  punishable  at  common  law. 
I  shall  be  obliged  to  you  for  your  assistance  in  this  ex- 
traordinary trial. 

"  1  ever  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  faithful  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell." 

About  this  time  I  wrote  to  Johnson,  giving  him  an 
account  of  the  decision  of  the  Negro  cause^  by  the  court 
of  wSession,  which  by  those  who  hold  even  the  mildest 
imd  best  regulated  slavery  in  abomination,  (of  which 
number  I  do  not  hesitate  to  declare  that  1  am  none,) 
should  be  remembered  with  high  respect,  and  to  the 
credit  of  Scotland  ;  for  it  went  upon  a  much  broader 
ground  than  the  case  of  Somerset,  which  was  decided  in 


456  THE    LIFE    OF 

1777.  England  ;^  being  truly  the  general  question,  whether 
S:at!  ^  perpetual  obligation  of  service  to  one  master  in  any 
68.  mode  should  be  sanctioned  by  the  law  of  a  free  country. 
A  negro,  then  called  Joseph  Knight,  a  native  of  Africa, 
who  having  been  brought  to  Jamaica  in  the  usual  course 
of  the  slave  trade,  and  purchased  by  a  Scotch  gentle- 
man in  that  Island,  had  attended  his  master  to  Scotland, 
where  it  was  officiously  suggested  to  him  that  he  would 
be  found  entitled  to  his  liberty  without  any  limitation. 
He  accordingly  brought  his  action,  in  the  course  of 
which  the  advocates  on  both  sides  did  themselves  great 
honour.  Mr.  Maclaurin  has  had  the  praise  of  Johnson, 
for  his  argument^  in  favour  of  the  negro,  and  Mr.  Mac- 
conochie  distinguished  himself  on  the  same  side,  by  his 
ingenuity  and  extraordinary  research.  Mr.  Cullen,  on 
the  part  of  the  master,  discovered  good  information  and 
sound  reasoning ;  in  which  he  was  well  supported  by 
Mr.  James  Ferguson,  remarkable  for  a  manl}'^  under- 
standing, and  a  knowledge  both  of  books  and  of  the 
world.  But  I  cannot  too  highly  praise  the  speech  which 
Mr.  Henry  Dundas  generously  contributed  to  the  cause 
of  the  sooty  stranger.  Mr.  Dundas's  Scottish  accent, 
which  has  been  so  often  in  vain  obtruded  as  an  objec- 
tion to  his  powerful  abilities  in  parliament,  was  no  dis- 
advantage to  him  in  his  own  country.  And  I  do  de- 
clare, that  upon  this  memorable  question  he  impressed 
me,  and  1  believe  all  his  audience,  with  such  feelings  as 
were  produced  by  some  of  the  most  eminent  orations  of 
antiquity.  This  testimony  I  liberally  give  to  the  excel- 
lence of  an  old  friend,  with  whom  it  has  been  my  lot 
to  differ  very  widely  upon  many  political  topicks  ;  yet 
1  persuade  myself  without  malice.  A  great  majority  of 
the  Lords  of  Session  decided  for  the  negro.  But  four 
of  their  number,  the  Lord  President,  Lord  Elliock,  Lord 
Monboddo,  and  Lord  Covington,  resolutely  maintained 

"  See  State  Trials,  Vol.  XI.  p.  339,  and  Mr.  Hargrave's  argument. 
'  The  motto  to  it  was  happily  chosen  : 

"  Qiiamvis  Hie  niger,  quamvis  tu  Candidas  esses.^' 

1  cannot  avoid  mentioning  a  circumstance  no  less  strange  than  true,  that  a  brother 
Advocate  in  considerable  practice,  but  of  whom  it  certainly  cannot  be  said,  I>ige- 
nuas  didich  fideliter  artes,  asked  Mr.  Mackurin,  with  a  face  of  flippant  assurance, 
"  Are  these  words  your  own  ?" 


DR.    JOHNSON.  457 

the  lawfulness  of  a  sfatus^  which  has  been  acknowledg:- 1777. 
ed  ill  all  ages  and  countries,  and  that  when  freedom  ^^'^ 
flourished,  as  in  old  Greece  and  Rome.  68. 

"  TO  JAMES  BOSWELL,  ESQ. 
"  DEAR  SIR, 

"  This  is  the  time  of  the  year  in  which  all  express 
their  good  wishes  to  their  friends,  and  1  send  mine  to 
you  and  your  family.  May  your  lives  be  long,  happy, 
and  good.  1  have  been  much  out  of  order,  but,  1  hope, 
do  not  grow  worse. 

"  The  crime  of  the  schoolmaster  whom  you  are  en- 
gaged to  prosecute  is  very  great,  and  may  be  suspected 
to  be  too  common.  In  our  law  it  would  be  a  breach  of 
the  peace  and  a  misdemeanour :  that  is,  a  kind  of  indef- 
inite crime,  not  capital,  but  punishable  at  the  discretion 
of  the  Court.  You  cannot  want  matter  :  all  that  needs 
to  be  said  will  easily  occur. 

"  Mr.  Shaw,  the  authour  of  the  Gaelick  Grammar, 
desires  me  to  make  a  request  for  him  to  Lord  Eglin- 
toune,  that  he  may  be  appointed  Chaplain  to  one  of 
the  new-raised  regiments. 

"  All  our  friends  are  as  they  were  ;  little  has  hap- 
pened to  them  of  either  good  or  bad.  Mrs.  Thrale  raa 
a  great  black  hair-dressing  pin  into  her  eye  ;  but  by 
great  evacuation  she  kept  it  from  inflaming,  and  it  is 
almost  well.  Miss  Reynolds  has  been  out  of  order, 
but  is  better.  Mrs.  Williams  is  in  a  very  poor  state 
of  health. 

"  If  I  should  write  on,  I  should,  perhaps,  write  only 
complaints,  and  therefore  I  will  content  myself  with 
telling  you,  that  I  love  to  think  on  you,  and  to  hear 
from  you  ;  and  that  I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Yours  faithfully, 

"  December  27,  1777.  "  Sam.  Johnson.^' 

"  to   dr.    SAMUEL  JOHNSON. 

"  DEAR  SIR,  Edinburgh,  Jan.  8,   177^. 

"  Your   congratulations  upon    a   new   year   are 

mixed  with  complaint  :  mine  must  be  so  too.    'My 

VOL.  IT-  .§S  ^' 


45S  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  wife  has  for  some  time  been  very  ill,  having  been  con- 
JJ^  fined  to  the  house  these  three  months  by  a  severe  cold, 
69.  *  attended  with  alarming  symptoms. 

[Here  1  gave  a  particular  account  of  the  distress 
which  the  person,  upon  every  account  most  dear  to 
me,  suffered  ;  and  of  the  dismal  state  of  apprehension 
in  which  I  now  was  :  adding  that  I  never  stood  more 
in  need  of  his  consoling  philosophy.] 

"  Did  you  ever  look  at  a  book  written  by  Wilson,  a 
Scotchman,  under  the  Latin  name  of  Volusenus,  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  literary  men  at  a  certain 
period.  It  is  entitled  "  De  Animi  Tranquillitate"  I 
earnestly  desire  tranquillity.  Bona  res  (juies ;  but  I  fear 
I  shall  never  attain  it  :  for,  when  unoccupied,  I  grow 

gloomy,  and  occupation  agitates  me  to  feverishness. 

****** 

"  I  am,  dear  Sir, 
"  Your  most  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell." 

"  to  james  boswell,  esq. 

"  DEAR  SIR, 

"To  a  letter  so  interesting  as  your  last,  it  is 
proper  to  return  some  answer,  however  little  1  may  be 
disposed  to  write. 

"  Your  alarm  at  your  lady's  illness  was  reasonable, 
and  not  disproportionate  to  the  appearance  of  the  dis- 
order. I  hope  your  physical  friend's  conjecture  is  now 
verified,  and  all  fear  of  a  consumption  at  an  end  :  a 
little  care  and  exercise  will  then  restore  her.  London 
is  a  good  air  for  ladies  ;  and  if  you  bring  her  hither,  I 
will  do  for  her  what  she  did  for  me — 1  will  retire  from 
my  apartments  for  her  accommodation.  Behave  kind- 
ly to  her,  and  keep  her  cheerful. 

"  You  always  seem  to  call  for  tenderness.  Know 
then,  that  in  the  first  month  of  the  present  year  1  very 
highly  esteem  and  very  cordially  love  you.  1  hope  to 
tell  you  this  at  the  beginning  of  every  year  as  long  as 
we  live  ;  and  why  should  we  trouble  ourselves  to  tell 
or  hear  it  often er  ? 


DR.    JOHNSON.  ^5[i 

"  Tell  Veronica,  Euphemia,  and  Alexander,  that  I  '778. 
wish  them,  as  well  as  their  parents,  many  happy  years.  ^^[ 

"  You  have  ended  the  negro's  cause  much  to  my  69. 
mind.  Lord  Auchinleck  and  dear  Lord  liailes  were 
on  the  side  of  liberty.  Lord  Hailes's  name  reproaches 
me  ;  but  if  he  saw  my  languid  neglect  of  ray  own 
affairs,  he  would  rather  pity  than  resent  my  neglect  of 
his.  1  hope  to  mend,  ui  ct  mihi  vivam  et  amicis.  I 
am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Yours  affectionately, 

"  Januarif  24,  177^.  "  Sam.  .Iohnson." 

"  My  service  to  my  fellow-traveller,  Joseph." 

Johnson  maintained  a  long  and  intimate  friendship 
with  Mr.  Welch,  who  succeeded  the  celebrated  Henry 
Fielding  as  one  of  his  Majesty's  Justices  of  the  Peace 
for  Westminster  ;  kept  a  regular  office  for  the  police 
of  that  great  district  ;  and  discharged  his  important 
trust,  for  many  years,  faithfully  and  ably.  Johnson, 
who  had  an  eager  and  unceasing  curiosity  to  know 
human  life  in  all  its  variety,  told  me,  that  he  attended 
Mr.  Welch  in  his  office  for  a  whole  winter,  to  hear  the 
examinations  of  the  culprits  ;  but  that  he  found  an 
almost  uniform  tenor  of  misfortune,  wretchedness  and 
proffigacy.  Mr.  Welch's  health  being  impaired,  he 
was  advised  to  try  the  effect  of  a  warm  climate  ;  and 
Johnson,  by  his  interest  with  Mr.  Chamier,  procured 
him  leave  of  absence  to  go  to  Italy,  and  a  promise  that 
the  pension  or  salary  of  two  hundred  pounds  a  year, 
which  Government  allowed  him,  should  not  be  dis- 
continued. Mr.  Welch  accordingly  went  abroad,  ac- 
companied by  his  daughter  Anne,  a  young  lady  of 
uncommon  talents  and  literature. 

"  TO  SAUNDERS  WELCH,  ESQ.  AT  THE  ENGLISH  COFFEE- 
HOUSE, ROME. 

"   DEAR  SIR, 

"  To  have  suffered  one  of  my  best  and  dearest 
friends  to  pass  almost  two  years  in  foreign  countries 
without  a  letter,  has  a  very  shameful  appearance  of  in- 
attention.    But  the  truth  is,  that  there  was  no  particu- 


460  XHE   LIFE   OF 

^78.  lar  time  in  which  I  had  any  thing  particular  to  say  ; 

^^^  and  general  expressions  of  good  will,  1  hope,  our  long 
69.    friendship  is  grown  too  solid  to  want. 

"  Of  publick  affairs  you  have  information  from  the 
news-papers  wherever  you  go,  for  the  English  keep  no 
secret ;  and  of  other  things,  Mrs.  NoUekens  informs 
you.  My  intelligence  could  therefore  be  of  no  use  ; 
and  Miss  Nancy's  letters  made  it  unnecessary  to  write 
to  you  for  information  :  I  was  likewise  for  some  time 
out  of  humour,  to  find  that  motion,  and  nearer  ap- 
proaches to  the  sun,  did  not  restore  your  health  so  fast 
as  [  expected.  Of  your  health,  the  accounts  have 
lately  been  more  pleasing  ;  and  1  have  the  gratification 
of  imaging  to  myself  a  length  of  years  which  I  hope 
you  have  gained,  and  of  which  the  enjoyment  will  be 
improved  by  a  vast  accession  of  images  and  observations 
which  your  journies  and  various  residence  have  enabled 
you  to  make  and  accumulate.  You  have  travelled 
with  this  felicity,  almost  pecuhar  to  yourself,  that  your 
companion  is  not  to  part  from  you  at  your  journey's 
end  ;  but  you  are  to  live  on  together,  to  help  each 
other's  recollection,  and  to  supply  each  other's  omis- 
sions. The  world  has  few  greater  pleasures  than  that 
which  two  friends  enjoy,  in  tracing  back,  at  some  dis- 
tant time,  those  transactions  and  events  through  which 
they  have  passed  together.  One  of  the  old  man's  mis- 
eries is,  that  he  cannot  easily  find  a  companion  able  to 
partake  with  him  of  the  past.  You  and  your  fellow- 
traveller  have  this  comfort  in  store,  that  your  conversa- 

^  tion  will  be  not  easily  exhausted  ;  one  will  always  be 
glad  to  say  what  the  other  will  always  be  willing  to  hear. 
"  That  you  may  enjoy  this  pleasure  long,  your 
health  must  have  your  constant  attention.  I  suppose 
you  propose  to  return  this  year.  There  is  no  need  of 
haste  :  do  not  come  hither  before  the  height  of  summer, 
that  you  may  fall  gradually  into  the  inconveniences  of 
your  native  clime.  July  seems  to  be  the  proper 
month.  August  and  September  will  pre)>are  you  for 
the  winter.  After  having  travelled  so  far  to  find  health, 
you  must  take  care  not  to  lose  it  at  home;  and  1  hope 
a  little  care  will  effectually  preserve  it. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  461 

'*  Miss  Nancy  has  doubtless  kept  a  constant  and  i778. 
copious  journal.  She  must  not  expect  to  be  welcome  ^^ 
when  she  returns,  without  a  great  mass  ot"  information.  69. 
Let  her  review  her  journal  often,  and  set  down  what 
she  finds  herself  to  have  omitted,  that  she  may  trust  to 
memory  as  little  as  possible,  for  meniory  is  soon  con- 
fused by  a  quick  succession  of  things  ;  and  she  will 
grow  every  day  less  confident  of  the  truth  of  her  own 
narratives,  unless  she  can  recur  to  some  written  memo- 
rials. If  she  has  satisfied  herself  with  hints,  instead  of 
full  representations,  let  her  supply  the  deficiencies  now 
while  her  memory  is  yet  fresh,  and  while  her  father's 
memory  may  help  her.  If  she  observes  this  direction, 
she  will  not  have  travelled  in  vain  ;  for  she  will  bring 
home  a  book  with  which  she  may  entertain  herself  to 
the  end  of  life.  If  it  were  not  now  too  late,  1  would 
advise  her  to  note  the  impression  which  the  first  sight 
of  any  thing  new  and  wonderful  made  upon  her  mind. 
Let  her  now  set  her  thoughts  down  as  she  can  recol- 
lect them  ;  for  faint  as  they  may  already  be,  they  will 
grow  every  day  fainter. 

"  Perhaps  I  do  not  flatter  myself  unreasonably  when 
I  imagine  that  you  may  wish  to  know  something  of 
me.  1  can  gratify  your  benevolence  with  no  account 
of  health.  The  hand  of  time,  or  of  disease,  is  very 
heavy  upon  me.  1  pass  restless  and  uneasy  nights, 
harassed  with  convulsions  of  my  breast,  and  flatulen- 
cies at  my  stomach  ;  and  restless  nights  make  heavy 
days.  Biit  nothing  will  be  mended  by  complaints,  and 
therefore  I  will  make  an  end.  When  we  meet,  we  will 
try  to  forget  our  cares  and  our  maladies,  and  contribute, 
as  we  can,  to  the  chearfulness  of  each  other.  If  I  had. 
gone  with  you,  1  believe  I  should  have  been  better  i 
but  I  do  not  know  that  it  was  in  my  power.  1  am, 
dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 
.    *'  Feb.  3,  1778.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

This  letter,  while  it  gives  admirable  advice   how  to 
travel  to  the  best  advantage,  and  will  therefore  be  of 


4(i2  THE    LIFE    OP 

1778.  very  general  use,  is  another  eminent  proof  of  Johnson's 
^J^  warm  and  affectionate  heart.  * 

69.  " 

"  TO  DR.  SAMUEL  JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Edinburgh,  Feb.  26,  1778. 

"  Why  1  have  delayed,  for  near  a  month  to  thank 
you  for  your  last  affectionate  letter,  I  cannot  say  ;  for 
my  mind  has  been  in  better  health  these  three  weeks 
than  for  some  years  past.  1  believe  1  have  evaded  till 
I  could  send  you  a  copy  of  Lord  Hailes's  opinion  on 
the  negro's  cause,  which  he  wishes  you  to  read,  and 
correct  any  errours  that  there  may  be  in  the  language  ; 
for,  (says  he,)  '  we  live  in  a  critical,  though  not  a 
learned  age  ;  and  I  seek  to  screen  myself  under  the 
shield  of  Ajax.'  1  communicated  to  him  your  apology 
for  keeping  the  sheets  of  his  '  Annals'  so  long.  He 
says,  '  1  am  sorry  to  see  that  Dr.  Johnson  is  in  a  state 
of  languor.  Why  should  a  sober  Christian,  neither  an 
enthusiast  nor  a  fanatick,  be  very  merry  or  very  sad  V 
I  envy  his  Lordship's  comfortable  constitution  ;  but 
well  do  1  know  that  languor  and  dejection  will  afflict 
the  best,  however  excellent  their  principles.  1  am  in 
possession  of  Lord  Hailes's  opinion  in  his  own  hand- 
writing, and  have  had  it  for  some  time.  My  excuse 
then  for  procrastination  must  be,  that  I  wanted  to  have 
it  copied  ;  and  1  have  now  put  that  off  so  long,  that  it 
will  be  better  to  bring  it  with  me  than  send  it,  as  I 
shall  probably  get  you  to  look  at  it  sooner,  when  I 
solicit  you  in  person. 

"  My  wife,  who  is,  I  thank  God,  a  good  deal  better, 
is  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  very  polite  and  cour- 
teous offer  of  your  apartment  :  but,  if  she  goes  to 
London,  it  will  be  best  for  her  to  have  lodgings  in  the 
more  airy  vicinity  of  Hyde-Park.  I,  however,  doubt 
much  if  1  shall  be  able  to  prevail  with  her  to  accom- 

'  The  friendship  between  Mr.  Welch  and  him  was  unbroken.  Mr.  Welch  died 
aot  many  months  before  him,  and  bequeathed  him  five  guineas  for  a  ring,  wiiich 
Johnson  received  with  tenderness,  as  a  kind  memorial.  His  regard  was  constant 
for  his  friend  Mr.  Welch's  daughters  ;  of  wht.m,  Jane  is  married  to  Mr.  Noilekens 
the  statuary,  whose  merit  is  too  well  known  to  require  any  praise  from  me. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  46.*i 

pany  me   to   the   metropolis  ;  for  she  is  so  different  '778. 
from  you  and  me,  that  she  dishkes  travelling  ;  and  she  ^^^ 
is  so  anxious  about  her  children,   that  she  thinks  she   69. 
should   be   unhappy  if  at  a   distance  from  them.     She 
therefore  wishes  rather  to  go  to  some  country  place  in 
Scotland,  where  she  can  have  them  with  her. 

"  1  pur[)ose  being  in  London  about  the  20th  of 
next  month,  as  1  think  it  creditable  to  appear  in  the 
House  of  Lords  as  one  of  Douglas's  Counsel,  in  the 
great  and  last  competition  between  Duke  Hamilton 

and  him. 

****** 

"  I  am  sorry  poor  Mrs.  Williams  is  so  ill :  though 
her  temper  is  unpleasant,  she  has  always  been  polite 
and  obliging  to  me.  1  wish  many  happy  years  to  good 
Mr.  Levet,  who  I  suppose  holds  his  usual  place  at 
your  breakfast-table.^ 

"  1  ever  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

"   Your  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell." 

to  the  same. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  Edmhiirgh,  Feb.  28,  1778. 

"  You  are  at  present  busy  amongst  the  English 
poets,  preparing,  for  the  publick  instruction  and  enter- 
tainment. Prefaces,  biographical  and  critical.  It  will 
not,  therefore,  be  out  of  season  to  appeal  to  you  for 
the  decision  of  a  controversy  which  has  arisen  between 
a  lady  and  me  concerning  a  passage  in  Parnell.  That 
poet  tells  us,  that  his  Hermit  quitted  his  cell 

'  to  know  the  world  by  sight, 

'  To  find  if  books  or  swai?is  report  it  right  ; 

'  (For  yet  by  szi^aifis  alone  the  world  he  knew, 

'  Whose  feet  came  wand'ring  o'er  the  nightly  dew.)' 

■  *  Dr.  Percy,  the  Bishop  of  Dromore,  humorously  observed,  that  Levet  used  to 
breakfast  on  the  crust  of  a  roll,  which  Johnson,  after  tearing  out  the  crumb  for 
himself,  threw  to  his  humble  friend. 

[Perhaps  the  word  thrrw  is  here  too  strong.  Dr.  Johnson  never  treated  Levet 
with  contempt  ;  it  i;  clear  indeed  from  various  circumstances  that  he  had  great 
kindness  for  liim.  I  have  often  seen  Johnson  at  brealdast,  accompanied,  or  rather 
:)ttendedi  by  Levet,  who  had  always  the  management  of  the  tea-kettle.     M.] 


464  THE    LIFE   OF 

1778.  I  maintain,  that  there  is  an  inconsistency  here  ;  for  as 
^^  the  Hermit's  notions  of  the  world  were  formed  from 
69.*  the  reports  both  of  books  and  swains^  he  could  not  just- 
ly be  said  to  know  by  swains  alone.     Be  pleased  to 
judge  between  us,  and  let  us  have  your  reasons.  ^ 

"  What  do  you  say  to  '  Taxation  no  Tyranny'  now, 
after  Lord  North's  declaration,  or  confession,  or  what- 
ever else  his  conciliatory  speech  should  be  called  ]  I 
never  differed  from  you  in  politicks  but  upon  two 
points, — the  Middlesex  Election,  and  the  Taxation  of 
the  Americans  by  the  British  Houses  of  Representa- 
fives.  There  is  a  charm  in  the  word  Parliament,  so  I 
avoid  it.  As  I  am  a  steady  and  a  warm  Tory,  1  regret 
that  the  King  does  not  see  it  to  be  better  for  him  to 
receive  constitutional  supplies  from  his  American  sub- 
jects by  the  voice  of  their  own  assemblies,  where  his 
Royal  Person  is  represented,  than  through  the  medium 
of  his  British  subjects.  I  am  persuaded  that  the  power 
of  the  Crown,  which  I  wish  to  increase,  would  be 
greater  when  in  contact  with  all  its  dominions,  than  if 
'  the  rays  of  regal  bounty'*  were  '  to  shine'  upon 
America,  through  that  dense  and  troubled  body,  a 
modern  British  Parliament.  But,  enough  of  this  sub- 
ject ;  for  your  angry  voice  at  Ashbourne  upon  it,  still 
sounds  aweful  '  in  my  mind's  ears.'  I  ever  am,  my 
dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell." 

to  the  same. 

"my  dear  sir,  Edinburgh,  March  19,  1778. 

"  The  alarm  of  your  late  illness  distressed  me  but 
a  few  hours  ;  for  on  the  evening  of  the  day  that  it 
reached  me,  I  found  it  contradicted  in  '  The  London 
Chronicle,'  which  I  could  depend  upon  as  authentick 
concerning  you,  Mr.  Strahan  being  the  printer  of  it.     I 

3  [  See  this  subject  discussed  in  a  subsequent  page,  under  May  3,  1779.    M.] 

■•  Alluding  to  a  line  in  his  "  Vanity  of  Human  Wishes,"  describing  Cardinal 
^'^''olsey  in  his  state  of  elevation  : 

"  Through  him  the  rays  of  regal  bounty  shine." 


DR.    JOHNSON.  465 

did  not  see  the  paper  in  which  '  the  approaching  ex-  1778. 
tinction  of  a   bright  luminary'  was  announced.      Sir  J^^ 
William  Forbes  told  me  of  it  ;  and  he  says  he  saw  me   (ig. 
so  uneasy,  that  he  did  not  give  me  the  report  in  such 
strong  terms  as   he  read  it.     He  afterwards  sent  me  a 
letter  from   Mr.   Langton  to  him,  which   relieved  me 
much.     1  am,   however,   not  quite  easy,  as  I  have  not 
heard  from  you  ;  and  now  1  shall  not  have  that  com- 
fort before  1  see  you,  for  I  set  out  for  London  to-mor- 
row before  the  post  comes  in.     1  hope  to  be  with  you 
on   Wednesday  morning  ;    and   1  ever  am,   with  the 
highest  veneration,   my  dear  Sir,  your  most  obliged, 
faithful,  and  affectionate, 

"  Humble  servant, 
"  James  Boswell." 

On  Wednesday,  March  18,  I  arrived  in  London,  and 
was  informed  by  good  Mr.  Francis,  that  his  master 
was  better,  and  was  gone  to  Mr.  Thrale's  at  Streat- 
ham,  to  which  place  1  wrote  to  him,  begging  to  know 
when  he  would  be  in  town.  He  was  not  expected  for 
some  time  ;  but  next  day  having  called  on  Dr.  Fay- 
lor,  in  Dean's-yard,  Westminster,  1  found  him  there, 
and  was  told  he  had  come  to  town  for  a  few  hours. 
He  met  me  with  his  usual  kindness,  but  instantly  re- 
turned to  the  writing  of  something  on  which  he  was 
employed  when  I  came  in,  and  on  which  he  seemed 
much  intent.  Finding  him  thus  engaged,  I  made  my 
visit  very  short,  and  had  no  more  of  his  conversation, 
except  his  expressing  a  serious  regret  that  a  friend  of 
ours  was  living  at  too  much  expence,  considering  how 
poor  an  appearance  he  made  :  "  If  (said  he)  a  man  has 
splendour  from  his  expence,  if  he  spends  his  money  in 
pride  or  in  pleasure,  he  has  value  :  but  if  he  lets 
others  spend  it  for  him,  which  is  most  commonly  the 
case,  he  has  no  advantage  from  it." 

On  Friday,  March  20,  I  found  him  at  his  own 
house,  sitting  with  Mrs.  Williams,  and  was  informed 
that  the  room  formerly  allotted  to  me  was  now  appro- 
priated to  a  charitable  purpose  ;  Mrs.   Desmouiiiis,' 

'  Daughter  of  Dr.  Swinfcn,  Johnson's  godfather,  and  widow  of  Mr.  Dcsnioiilins, 
a  writing-master. 

\'(M  .    I  !  .39 


466  THE    LIFE    OF 

'778.  and   I  think  her  daughter,   and  a  Miss  Carmichael, 

^g^  being  all  lodged  in   it.     Such  was  his  humanity,  and 

6g.    such  his  generosity,  that  Mrs.  Desmoulins  herself  told 

me,  he  allowed  her  half-a-guinea  a  week.     Let  it  be 

remembered,  that  this  was  above  a  twelfth  part  of  his 

pension. 

His  liberality,  indeed,  was  at  all  periods  of  his  life 
very  remarkable.  Mr.  Howard,  of  Lichfield,  at  whose 
father's  house  Johnson  had  in  his  early  years  been 
kindly  received,  told  me,  that  when  he  was  a  boy  at 
the  Charter-house,  his  father  wrote  to  him  to  go  and 
pay  a  visit  to  Mr.  Samuel  Johnson,  which  he  accord- 
ingly did,  and  found  him  in  an  upper  room,  of  poor 
appearance.  Johnson  received  him  with  much  cour- 
teousness,  and  talked  a  great  deal  to  him,  as  to  a 
school-boy,  of  the  course  of  his  education,  and  other 
particulars.  When  he  afterwards  came  to  know  and 
understand  the  high  character  of  this  great  man,  he 
recollected  his  condescension  with  wonder.  He  added, 
that  when  he  was  going  away,  Mr.  Johnson  presented 
him  with  half-a-guinea  ;  and  this,  said  Mr.  Howard, 
was  at  a  time  when  he  probably  had  not  another. 

We  retired  from  Mrs.  Williams  to  another  room. 
Tom  Davies  soon  after  joined  us.  He  had  now  un- 
fortunately failed  in  his  circumstances,  and  was  much 
indebted  to  Dr.  Johnson's  kindness  for  obtaining  for 
him  many  alleviations  of  his  distress.  After  he  went 
away,  Johnson  blamed  his  folly  in  quitting  the  stage, 
by  which  he  and  his  wife  got  five  hundred  pounds  a 
year.  I  said,  I  believed  it  was  owing  to  Churchill's 
attack  upon  him, 

"  He  mouths  a  sentence,  as  curs  mouth  a  bone.'* 

Johnson.  "  I  believe  so  too.  Sir.  But  what  a  man 
is  he,  who  is  to  be  driven  from  the  stage  by  a  line  ? 
Another  line   would  have  driven  him  from  his  shop.'' 

I  told  him  that  1  was  engaged  as  Counsel  at  the  bar 
of  the  House  of  Commons  to  oppose  a  road  bill  in  the 
county  of  Stirling,  and  asked  him  what  mode  he  would 
advise  me  to  follow  in  addressing  such  an  audience. 
Johnson,  "  Why,  Sir,  you  must  provide  yourself  with 


DK.    JOHNSON.  467 

a  good  deal  of  extraneous  matter,  whicli  you  are  to  ^776. 
produce  occasionally,  so  as  to  fill  up  the  time  ;  for  you  ^Q[ 
must  consider,  that  they  do  not  listen  much.  It  you  tuj. 
begin  with  the  strength  of  your  cause,  it  may  be  lost 
before  they  begin  to  listen.  When  you  catch  a  mo- 
ment of  attention,  press  the  merits  of  the  question 
upon  them."  He  said,  as  to  one  point  of  the  merits, 
that  he  thought,  "  it  would  be  a  wrong  thing  to  deprive 
the  small  landholders  of  the  privilege  of  assessing  them- 
selves for  making  and  repairing  the  high  roads  ;  if  ivas 
ilestroifiug  a  certain  portion  of  liberty,  xoitliout  a  good 
reason,  which  zcas  ahvaifs  a  bad  thmg.^'  When  I  men- 
tioned this  observation  next  day  to  Mr.  Wilkes,  he 
pleasantly  said,  "  What  !  does  he  talk  of  liberty  '. 
Libert  1/  is  as  ridiculous  in  his  mouth  as  Religion  in 
mine."  Mr.  Wilkes's  advice  as  to  the  best  mode  of 
speaking  at  the  bar  of  the  House  of  Commons,  was 
not  more  respectful  towards  the  senate,  than  that  of 
Dr.  Johnson.  "  Be  as  impudent  as  you  can,  as  merry 
as  you  can,  and  say  whatever  comes  uppermost.  Jack 
Lee  is  the  best  heard  there  of  any  Counsel  ;  and  he  is 
the  most  impudent  dog,  and  always  abusing  us." 

In  my  interview  with  Dr.  Johnson  this  evening,  1 
was  quite  easy,  quite  as  his  companion  ;  upon  which  I 
find  in  my  Journal  the  following  reflection  :  "  So 
ready  is  my  mind  to  suggest  matter  for  dissatisfaction, 
that  I  felt  a  sort  of  regret  that  I  was  so  easy.  1  missed 
that  aweful  reverence  with  which  I  used  to  contem- 
plate Mr.  Samuel  Johnson,  in  the  complex  magni- 
tude of  his  literary,  moral,  and  religious  character.  J 
have  a  wonderful  superstitious  love  oi  mystery ;  when, 
perhaps,  the  truth  is,  that  it  is  owing  to  the  cloudy 
darkness  of  my  own  mind.  1  should  be  glad  that  1 
am  more  advanced  in  my  progress  of  being,  so  that  I 
can  view  Dr.  Johnson  with  a  steadier  and  clearer  eye. 
My  dissatisfaction  to-night  was  foolish.  Would  it  not 
be  foolish  to  regret  that  we  shall  have  less  mystery  in  a 
future  state  ?  That  '  we  now  see  in  a  glass  darkly,'  but 
shall  '  then  see  face  to  face  V — This  reflection,  which 
I    thus  freelv  communicate,  will   be   valued    by    the 


468  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  thinking  part  of  my  readers,  who  may  have  themselves 

iEtat  experienced  a  similar  state  of  mind. 
69.  He  returned  next  day  to  Streatham,  to  Mr.  Thrale^s  ; 
where,  as  Mr.  Strahan  once  complained  to  me,  "  he 
was  in  a  great  measure  absorbed  from  the  society  of 
his  old  friends."  1  was  kept  in  London  by  business, 
and  wrote  to  him  on  the  27th,  that  a  separation  from 
him  for  a  week,  when  we  were  so  near,  was  equal  to  a 
separation  for  a  year,  when  we  were  at  four  hundred 
miles  distance.  I  went  to  Streatham  on  Monday, 
March  30.  Before  he  appeared,  Mrs.  Thrale  made  a 
very  characteristical  remark  : — "  I  do  not  know  for 
certain  what  will  please  Dr.  Johnson  :  but  I  know  for 
certain  that  it  will  displease  him  to  praise  any  thing, 
even  what  he  likes,  extravagantly.^^ 

At  dinner  he  laughed  at  querulous  declamations 
against  the  age,  on  account  of  luxury, — increase  of 
London, — scarcity  of  provisions, — and  other  such  top- 
icks.  "  Houses  (said  he)  will  be  built  till  rents  fall  ; 
and  corn  is  more  plentiful  now  than  ever  it  was." 

1  had  before  dinner  repeated  a  ridiculous  story  told 
me  by  an  old  man,  who  had  been  a  passenger  with  me 
in  the  stage-coach  to-day.  Mrs.  Thrale,  having  taken 
occasion  to  allude  to  it,  in  talking  to  me,  called  it  "  The 
story  told  you  by  the  old  zooman."—'-''  Now,  Madam, 
(said  I,)  give  me  leave  to  catch  you  in  the  fact :  it  was 
not  an  old  ii)oman,  but  an  old  man,  whom  1  mentioned 
as  having  told  me  this."  I  presumed  to  take  an  op- 
portunity, in  presence  of  Johnson,  of  shewing  this 
lively  lady  how  ready  she  was,  unintentionall}',  to  devi- 
ate from  exact  authenticity  of  narration. 

"  Thomas  a  Kempis  (he  observed)  must  be  a  good 
book,  as  the  world  has  opened  its  arms  to  receive  it. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  printed,  in  one  language  or  other, 
as  many  times  as  there  have  been  months  since  it  first 
came  out.*^  1  always  was  struck  with  this  sentence  in 
it  :  '  Be  not  angry  that  you  cannot  make  others  as  you 

'  [The  first  edition  was  in  1492.  Between  that  period  and  1792,  according  to 
this  account,  there  were  three  thousand  six  hundred  editions.  But  this  is  very  im- 
probable.    M.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  469 

Wish  them  to  be,  since  you  cannot  make  yourself  as  i778. 
you  wish  to  be."^  ^taT 

He  said,  "  I  was  angry  with  Hurd  about  Cowley,  for  eg. 
having  published  a  selection  of  his  works  :  but,  upon 
better  consideration,  1  think  there  is  no  impropriety  in  ;i 
man's  publishing  as  much  as  he  chooses  of  any  authour, 
if  he  does  not  put  the  rest  out  of  the  way.  A  man, 
for  instance,  may  print  the  Odes  of  Horace  alone." 
He  seemed  to  be  in  a  more  indulgent  humour,  than 
when  this  subject  was  discussed  between  him  and  Mr. 
Murphy. 

When  we  were  at  tea  and  coffee,  there  came  in  Lord 
Trimlestown,  in  whose  family  was  an  ancient  Irish 
peerage,  but  it  suffered  by  taking  the  generous  side  in 
the  troubles  of  the  last  century^  He  was  a  man  of 
pleasing  conversation,  and  was  accompanied  by  a  young 
gentleman,  his  son. 

i  mentioned  that  I  had  in  my  possession  the  Life  of 
Sir  Robert  Sibbald,  the  celebrated  Scottish  antiquary, 
and  founder  of  the  Royal  College  of  Physicians  at  Ed- 
inburgh, in  the  original  manuscript  in  his  own  hand 
writing ;  and  that  it  was,  1  believed,  the  most  natural 
and  candid  account  of  himself  that  ever  was  given  by 
any  man.  As  an  instance,  he  tells  that  the  Duke  of 
Perth,  then  Chancellor  of  Scotland,  pressed  him  very 
much  to  come  over  to  the  Roman  Catholick  faith  :  that 
he  resisted  all  his  Grace's  arguments  for  a  considerable 
time,  till  one  day  he  felt  himself,  as  it  were,  instanta- 
neously convinced,  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes  ran  into 
the  Duke's  arms,  and  embraced  the  ancient  religion  ; 
that  he  continued  very  steady  in  it  for  some  time,  and 
accompanied  his  Grace  to  London  one  winter,  and  lived 
in  his  household  ;  that  there  he  found  the  rigid  fasting 
prescribed  by  the  church  very  severe  upon  him  ;  that 
this  disposed  him  to  reconsider  the  controversy,  and 

'  [The  original  passage  is  :  Si  non  potes  te  talem  facere,  qualem  vis,  quomodo 
poteris  alium  ad  tuum  habere  beneplacitum  ?  De  Imit.  Christ.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  xvi. 

J.  B.— O.] 

'  [Since  this  was  written,  the  attainder  has  been  reversed  ;  and  Nicholas  Barne^ 
wall  13  now  a  peer  of  Ireland  with  this  title.  The  person  mentioned  in  the  text 
had  studied  physick,  and  prescribed  gratis  to  the  poor.  Hence  aroic  the  subse- 
.quent  conversation.     M.] 


470  THE    LIFE    OP 

1778.  having  then  seen  that  he  was  in  the  wrong,  he  return- 
^J^  ed  to  Protestantism.  I  talked  of  some  time  or  other 
69.  pubHshing  this  curious  Hfe.  Mrs.  Thrale.  "  I  think 
you  had  as  well  let  alone  that  publication.  To  discov- 
er such  weakness  exposes  a  man  when  he  is  gone.^' 
Johnson.  "  Nay,  it  is  an  honest  picture  of  human 
nature.  How  often  are  the  primar}^  motives  of  our 
greatest  actions  as  small  as  Sibbald's,  for  his  re-conver- 
sion." Mrs.  Thrale.  "  But  mav  they  not  as  well 
be  forgotten  ?"  Johnson.  "  No,  Madam,  a  man  loves 
to  review  his  own  mind.  That  is  the  use  of  a  diary,  or 
journal."  Lord  Trimlestown.  "  True,  Sir.  As  the 
Jadies  love  to  see  themselves  in  a  glass ;  so  a  man  likes 
to  see  himself  in  his  journal."  Boswell.  "  A  very 
pretty  allusion."  Johnson.  "  Yes,  indeed."  Bos- 
well. "  And  as  a  lady  adjusts  her  dress  before  a  mir- 
rour,  a  man  adjusts  his  character  by  looking  at  his  jour- 
nal." 1  next  year  found  the  very  same  thought  in  At- 
terbury's  "  Funeral  Sermon  on  Lady  Cutts  ;"  where 
having  mentioned  her  Diary,  he  says,  "  In  this  glass 
she  every  day  dressed  her  mind."  This  is  a  proof  of 
coincidence,  and  not  of  plagiarism  ;  for  I  had  never 
read  that  sermon  before. 

Next  morning,  while  w^e  were  at  breakfast,  Johnson 
gave  a  very  earnest  recommendation  of  what  he  himself 
practised  with  the  utmost  conscientiousness  :  I  mean 
a  strict  attention  to  truth,  even  in  the  most  minute  par- 
ticulars. "  Accustom  your  children  (said  he)  constant- 
ly to  this  ;  if  a  thing  happened  at  one  window,  and  they, 
when  relating  it,  say  that  it  happened  at  another,  do 
not  let  it  pass,  but  instantly  check  them;  you  do  not 
know  where  deviation  from  truth  will  end."  Boswell. 
"  It  may  come  to  the  door  :  and  when  once  an  account 
is  at  all  varied  in  one  circumstance,  it  may  by  degrees 
be  varied  so  as  to  be  totally  different  from  what  really 
happened."  Our  lively  hostess,  whose  fancy  was  im- 
patient of  the  reiii,  fidgeted  at  this,  and  ventured  to 
say,  "  Nay,  this  is  too  much.  If  Mr.  Johnson  should 
forbid  me  to  drink  tea,  1  would  comply,  as  1  should 
feel  the  restraint  only  twice  a  day  ;  but  little  variations 
in  narrative  must  happen  a  thousand  times  a  day,  if 


\)H.    JOHNSON.  47  I 

one  is  not  perpetually  watching."     Johnson.  "  Well,  '77». 
Madam,  anil  you  unL{/t/  to  be  |Ki|)(tually  watching.    It  ^gj^ 
is  more  hom  carelessness  about  truth  than  from  inten-    G;>. 
tional    lying,   that   there   is  so   much  falsehood  in   the 
world." 

In  his  review  of  Dr.  Warton's  "  Essay  on  the  Writ- 
ings and  Genius  of  Pope,"  Johnson  has  given  the  fol- 
lowing salutary  caution  upon  this  subject  :  "  Nothing 
but  experience  could  evince  the  frequency  of  false 
information,  or  enable  any  man  to  conceive  that  so  - 
many  groundless  reports  should  be  propagated,  as  every 
man  of  eminence  may  hear  of  himself.  Some  men  re- 
late what  they  think,  as  what  they  know  ;  some  men 
of  confused  memories  and  habitual  inaccuracy,  ascribe 
to  one  man  what  belongs  to  another  ;  and  some  talk 
on,  without  thought  or  care.  A  few  men  are  sufficient 
to  broach  falsehoods,  which  are  afterwards  innocently 
diffused  by  successive  relators. "'  H^d  he  lived  to 
read  what  Sir  John  Hawkins  and  Mrs.  Piozzi  have  re- 
lated concerning  himself,  how  much  would  he  have 
found  his  observation  illustrated.  He  was  indeed  so 
much  impressed  with  the  prevalence  of  falsehood,  vol- 
untary or  unintentional,  that  I  never  knew  any  person 
who  upon  hearing  an  extraordinary  circumstance  told, 
discovered  more  of  the  incredulus  odi.  He  would  say 
with  a  significant  look  and  decisive  tone,  "  It  is  not 
so.  Do  not  tell  this  again."'  He  inculcated  upon  all 
his  friends  the  importance  of  perpetual  vigilance 
against  the  slightest  degrees  of  falsehood  ;  the  effect 
of  which,  as  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  observed  to  me,  has 
been,  that  all  who  were  of  his  school  dixe  distinguished 
for  a  love  of  truth  and  accuracy,  which  they  would  not 
have  possessed  in  the  same  degree,  if  they  had  not 
been  ac([uainted  with  Johnson. 

'  Literary  Magazine,  1756",  p.  37. 

'  Tlic  following  plausible  hut  over-prudent  counsel  on  this  suhject  is  given  by 
■xn  Italian  %vriter,  quoted  hy  "  Rhfdidc  generaiUjiie  Inscctartnnr  with  the  epithet  oj" 
■'  tini'ini  jiottjr' 

"  Semprc  a  quel  "Vtr  cb'ufiuc'ia  dl  menzorriia 
"  Dee  I'uom  chiudi-re  le  labbra  quanta  ei  puotc  ; 
"  Pfrl  cbcz  ztnzii  n^pa  f.i  -argogiuP 


4-72  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.       Talking  of  ghosts,  he  said,  "  It  is  wonderful  that  five 

^yy  thousand  years  have  now  elapsed  since  the  creation  of 

(^g^  '  the  world,  and  still  it  is  undecided   whether  or  not 

there   has  ever  been  an  instance  of  the  spirit  of  any 

person  appearing  after  death.     All  argument  is  against 

it  ;  but  all  belief  is  for  it." 

He  said,  "  John  Wesley's  conversation  is  good,  but 
he  is  never  at  leisure.  He  is  always  obliged  to  go  at  a 
certain  hour.  This  is  very  disagreeable  to  a  man  who 
loves  to  fold  his  legs  and  have  out  his  talk,  as  1  do." 

On  Friday,  April  3,  1  dined  with  him  in  London,  in 
a  company  where  were  present  several  eminent  men, 
whom  I  shall  not  name,  but  distinguish  their  parts  in 
the  conversation  by  different  letters. 

F.  "  I  have  been  looking  at  this  famous  antique 
marble  dog  of  Mr.  Jennings,  valued  at  a  thousand 
guineas,  said  to  be  Alcibiades's  dog."  Johnsok. 
"  His  tail  then  must  be  docked.  That  was  the  mark 
of  Alcibiades's  dog."  E.  "  A  thousand  guineas  !  The 
representation  of  no  animal  whatever  is  worth  so  much. 
At  this  rate  a  dead  dog  would  indeed  be  better  than  a 
living  lion."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  it  is  not  the  worth  of 
the  thing,  but  of  the  skill  in  forming  it  which  is  so 
highly  estimated.  Every  thing  that  enlarges  the  sphere 
of  human  powers,  that  shows  man  he  can  do  what  he 
thought  he  could  not  do,  is  valuable.  The  first  man 
who  balanced  a  straw  upon  his  nose  ;  Johnson  who  rode 
upon  three  horses  at  a  time  ;  in  short,  all  such  men 
deserved  the  applause  of  mankind,  not  on  account  of 
the  use  of  what  they  did,  but  of  the  dexterity  which 
the\^  exhibited."  Boswell.  "  Yet  a  misapplication 
of  time  and  assiduity  is  not  to  be  encouraged.  Addi- 
son, in  one  of  his  '  Spectators'  commends  the  judge- 
ment of  a  King,  who  as  a  suitable  reward  to  a  man 
that  by  long  perseverance  had  attained  to  the  art  of 
throwing  a  barley-corn  through  the  eye  of  a  needle, 
gave  him  a  bushel  of  barley."  Johnson.  "  He  must 
have  been  a  King  of  Scotland,  where  barley  is  scarce." 
F.  "  One  of  the  most  remarkable  antique  figures  of  an 
animal  is  the  boar  at  Florence."  Johnson.  "  The 
iirst  boar  that  is  well  made  in  marble,  should  be  pre- 


DR.  JOHNSON.  47:3 

served  as  a  wonder.     When  men  arrive  at  a  facility  of  '778. 
making-  boars  well,  then   the  workmanship  is  not  of  ^J^ 
such  value,   but  they  should  however  be  preserved  as   69. 
examples,  and  as  a  greater  security  for  the  restoration 
of  the  art,  should  it  be  lost." 

E.  "  We   hear  prodigious  complaints  at  present  of 
emigration.     1  am   convinced  that  emigration  makes  a 
country   more    populous."      J.    "  That   sounds    very 
much  like  a  paradox."     E.  "  Exportation  of  men,  like 
exportation  of  all  other  commodities,   makes  more  be 
produced."     Johnson.    "  But  there  would  be  more 
people  were  there  not  emigration,  provided  there  were 
food  for  more."     E.    "  No  ;  leave  a  few  breeders,  and 
you'll  have  more  people  than  if  there  were  no  emigra- 
tion."    Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  it  is  plain  there  will  be 
more  people,  if  there  are  more  breeders.     Thirty  cows 
in  good  pasture  will  produce  more  calves  than  ten  cows, 
provided  they  have  good  bulls."     E.  "  There  are  bulls 
enough  in  Ireland."     Johnson,  (smiling.)  "  So,  Sir,  I 
should  think  from  your  argument."     Boswell.  "  You 
said,   exportation  of  men,    like  exportation   of  other 
commodities,  makes  more  be  produced.     But  a  bounty 
is  given  to  encourage  the  exportation  of  corn,  and  no 
bounty  is  given  for  the  exportation  of  men  :  though, 
indeed,  those   who  go,   gain   by  it."     R.    "  But  the 
bounty  on  the  exportation  of  corn  is  paid  at  home." 
E.  "  That's  the  same  thing."     Johnson.  "  No,  Sir." 
R.  "  A  man  who  stays  at  home,  gains  nothing  by  his 
neighbour's  emigrating."     Boswell.  "  I   can  under- 
stand that  emigration   may  be   the  cause   that  more 
people  may  be  produced  in  a  country  ;  but  the  coun- 
try  will   not  therefore  be  the  more  populous  ;  for  the 
people  issue  from  it.     It  can  only  be  said  that  there  is 
a  flow  of  people.     It  is  an  encouragement  to  have 
children,  to  know  that  they  can  get  a  living  by  emi- 
gration."    R.  "  Yes,  if  there  were  an  emigration  of 
children  under  six  years  of  age.     But  they  don't  emi- 
grate till  they  could  earn  their  livelihood  in  some  way 
at  home."     C.  "  It  is  remarkable   that  the  most  un- 
healthy countries,  where  there  are  the  most  destructive 
diseases,   such    as   Egypt   and   Bengal,  are  the  most 

voj,.  11.  60 


474  I'HE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  populous."  Johnson.  "  Countries  which  are  the 
^^  most  populous  have  the  most  destructive  diseases. 
6g.  That  is  the  true  state  of  the  proposition."  C.  "  Hol- 
land is  very  unhealthy,  yet  it  is  exceedingly  populous." 
Johnson.  "  I  know  not  that  Holland  is  unhealthy. 
But  its  populousness  is  owing  to  an  influx  of  people 
from  all  other  countries.  Disease  cannot  be  the  cause 
of  populousness,  for  it  not  only  carries  off  a  great  pro- 
portion of  the  people  ;  but  those  who  are  left  are 
weakened,  and  unfit  for  the  purposes  of  increase." 

R.  "  Mr.  £.  I  don't  mean  to  flatter,  but  when  pos- 
terity reads  one  of  your  speeches  in  parliament,  it  will 
be  difficult  to  believe  that  you  took  so  much  pains, 
knowing  with  certainty  that  it  could  produce  no  effect, 
that  not  one  vote  would  be  gained  by  it."  E.  "  Wav- 
ing your  compliment  to  me,  1  shall  say  in  general,  that 
it  is  very  well  worth  while  for  a  man  to  take  pains  to 
speak  well  in  parliament.  A  man,  who  has  vanity, 
speaks  to  display  his  talents  ;  and  if  a  man  speaks 
well,  he  gradually  establishes  a  certain  reputation  and 
consequence  in  the  general  opinion,  which  sooner  or 
later  will  have  its  political  reward.  Besides,  though 
not  one  vote  is  gained,  a  good  speech  has  its  effect. 
Though  an  act  which  has  been  ably  opposed  passes 
into  a  law,  yet  in  its  progress  it  is  modelled,  it  is  soft- 
ened in  such  a  manner,  that  we  see  plainly  the  Minister 
has  been  told,  that  the  members  attached  to  him  are 
so  sensible  of  its  injustice  or  absurdity  from  what  they 
have  heard,  that  it  must  be  altered."  Johnson. 
"  And,  Sir,  there  is  a  gratification  of  pride.  Though 
we  cannot  out-vote  them  we  will  out-argue  them. 
They  shall  not  do  wrong  without  its  being  shown  both 
to  themselves  and  to  the  world."  E.  "  The  House  of 
Commons  is  a  mixed  body.  (I  except  the  Minority, 
which  1  hold  to  be  pure,  [smiling]  but  1  take  the 
whole  House.)  It  is  a  mass  by  no  means  pure  ;  but 
neither  is  it  wholly  corrupt,  though  there  is  a  large 
proportion  of  corruption  in  it.  There  are  many  mem- 
bers who  generallv  go  with  the  minister,  who  will  not 
go  all  lengths.  There  are  many  honest  well-meaning 
country  gentlemen  who  are  in  parliament  only  to  keep 


DR.    JOHNSON.  473 

up  the  consequence  of  their  famihes.  Upon  most  of  'TTS. 
these  a  good  speech  will  have  influence."  Johnson.  ^^^ 
"  We  are  all  more  or  loss  governed  hy  interest.  Hut  fig. 
interest  will  not  make  us  do  every  thing.  In  a  ease 
which  admits  of  doubt,  we  try  to  tlunk  on  the  side 
which  is  for  our  interest,  and  generally  bring  ourselves 
to  act  accordingly.  Hut  the  subject  must  admit  of 
diversity  of  colouring  ;  it  must  receive  a  colour  on  that 
side.  In  the  House  of  Commons  there  are  members 
enough  who  will  not  vote  what  is  grossly  unjust  or 
absurd.  No,  Sir,  there  must  always  be  right  enough, 
or  appearance  of  right,  to  keep  wrong  in  countenance." 
BoswELL.  "  There  is  surely  always  a  majority  in  par- 
liament who  have  places,  or  who  want  to  have  them, 
and  who  therefore  will  be  generally  ready  to  sup- 
port government  without  requiring  any  pretext.^'  K. 
"  True,  Sir  ;  that  majority  will  always  follow 

'  Quo  clamo7'  uocut  et  tiirha  JcwentiumJ'* 

BoswELL.  "  Well  now,  let  us  take  the  common  phrase, 
Place-hunters.  1  thought  they  had  hunted  without 
regard  to  any  thing,  just  as  their  huntsman,  the  Min- 
ister, leads,  looking  only  to  the  prey."^  J.  "  But 
taking  your  meta|)hor,  you  know  that  in  hunting  there 
are  few  so  desperately  keen  as  to  follow  without  re- 
serve. Some  do  not  choose  to  leap  ditches  and  hedges 
and  risk  their  necks,  or  gallop  over  steeps,  or  even  to 
dirty  themselves  in  bogs  and  mire."  Hoswell.  "  I 
am  glad  there  are  some  good,  quiet,  moderate  political 
hunters."  E.  "  I  believe  in  any  body  of  men  in  Eng- 
land I  should  have  been  in  the  Minority  ;  1  have 
always  been  in  the  Minority."  P.  "  The  House  of 
Commons  resembles  a  private  company.  How  seldom 
is  any  man  convinced  by  another's  argument  ;  passion 
and  pride  rise  against  it."  R.  "  What  would  be  the 
consequence,  if  a  Minister,  sure  of  a  majority  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  should  resolve  that  there  should 

^  Ix)rd  Bolinbroke,  wlio,  however  detestable  as  a  metaphysician,  must  be  allow- 
ed to  have  had  admirable  talents  as  a  political  writer,  thus  describes  the  House  of 
Commons,  in  his  "  Letter  to  Sir  William  Wyndham  ; — "  You  know  the  nature  of 
that  assembly  ;  they  grow,  like  hounds,  fond  of  the  man  who  shews  them  game, 
and  by  whose  halloo  they  are  used  to  be  encouraged." 


476  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  be  no  speaking  at  all  upon  his  side."  E.  "  He  must 
soon  go  out.  That  has  been  tried  ;  but  it  was  found 
it  would  not  do.'' 

E.  "  The  Irish  language  is  not  primitive  ;  it  is  Teu- 
tonick,  a  mixture  of  the  northern  tongues ;  it  has  much 
English  in  it."  Johnson.  "  It  may  have  been  radic- 
ally Teutonick  ;  but  English  and  High  Dutch  have  no 
similarity  to  the  eye,  though  radically  the  same.  Once 
when  looking  into  Low  Dutch,  1  found,  in  a  whole 
page,  only  one  word  similar  to  English  ;  stroem  like 
stream^  and  it  signified  tide.^^  E.  "  I  remember  hav- 
ing seen  a  Dutch  Sonnet,  in  which  I  found  this  word, 
roeanopies.  Nobody  would  at  first  think  that  this 
could  be  English  ;  but,  when  we  enquire,  we  find 
roes^  rose,  and  nop'ie^  knob  ;  so  we  have  rosehuds^^ 

Johnson.  "  1  have  been  reading  Thicknesse's 
Travels,  which  I  think  are  entertaining."  Boswell 
"  What,  Sir,  a  good  book  ?"  Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir,  to 
read  once ;  1  do  not  say  you  are  to  make  a  study  of  it, 
find  digest  it  ;  and  1  believe  it  to  be  a  true  book  in  his 
intention.  All  travellers  generally  mean  to  tell  truth  ; 
though  Thicknesse  observes,  upon  Smollett's  account 
of  his  alarming  a  whole  town  in  France  by  firing  a 
blunderbuss,  and  frightening  a  French  nobleman  till  he 
made  him  tie  on  his  portmantua,  that  he  would  be  loth 
to  say  Smollett  had  told  two  lies  in  one  page  ;  but  he 
had  found  the  only  town  in  France  where  these  things 
could  have  happened.  Travellers  must  often  be  mis- 
taken. In  every  thing,  except  where  mensuration  can 
be  applied,  they  may  honestly  diflfer.  There  has  been, 
of  late,  a  strange  turn  in  travellers  to  be  displeased." 

E.  "  From  the  experience  which  I  have  had, — and  I 
have  had  a  great  deal, — 1  have  learnt  to  think  better  ol 
mankind."  Johnson,  "  From  my  experience  I  have 
found  them  worse  in  commercial  dealings,  more  dis- 
posed to  cheat,  than  1  had  any  notion  of;  but  more 
disposed  to  do  one  another  good  than  1  had  conceived." 
J.  "  Less  just  and  more  beneficent."  Johnson.  "And 
realiy  it  is  wonderful,  considering  how  much  attention 
is  necessary  for  men  to  take  care  of  themselves,  and 
ward  off  immediate  evils  which  press  upon  them,  it  is 


UK.   JOHNSON.  477 

wonderful  how  much  they  do  for  others.  As  it  is  said  i778. 
of  the  greatest  har,  that  he  tells  more  truth  than  false-  ^gj^ 
hood  ;  so  it  may  be  said  of  the  worst  man,  that  he  does  69 
more  good  than  evil."  Boswell.  "  Perhaps  from  ex- 
perience men  may  be  found  happier  than  we  suppose." 
Johnson.  "No,  Sir;  the  more  we  enquire  we  shall 
find  men  the  less  happy."  P.  "As  to  thinking  better 
or  worse  of  mankind  from  experience,  some  cunning 
people  will  not  be  satisfied  unless  they  have  put  men 
to  the  test,  as  they  think.  There  is  a  very  good  story 
told  of  Sir  Godfrey  Kneller,  in  his  character  of  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace.  A  gentleman  brought  his  servant 
before  him,  upon  an  accusation  of  having  stolen  some 
money  from  him  ;  but  it  having  come  out  that  he  had 
laid  it  purposely  in  the  servant's  way,  in  order  to  try  f 
his  honesty,  Sir  Godfrey  sent  the  master  to  prison ."'  '^ 
Johnson.  "  To  resist  temptation  once,  is  not  a  suffi- 
cient proof  of  honesty.  If  a  servant,  indeed,  were  to 
resist  the  continued  temptation  of  silver  lying  in  a  win- 
dow, as  some  people  let  it  lye,  when  he  is  sure  his 
master  does  not  know  how  much  there  is  of  it,  he 
would  give  a  strong  proof  of  honesty.  But  this  is  a 
proof  to  which  you  have  no  right  to  put  a  man.  You 
know,  humanly  speaking,  there  is  a  certain  degree  of 
temptation,  which  will  overcome  any  virtue.  Now,  in 
so  far  as  you  approach  temptation  to  a  man,  you  do  him 
an  injury  ;  and,  if  he  is  overcome,  you  share  his  guilt." 
P.  "  And,  when  once  overcome,  it  is  easier  for  him  to 
be  got  the  better  of  again."  Boswell.  "  Yes,  you 
are  his  seducer ;  you  have  debauched  him.  1  have 
known  a  man  resolved  to  put  friendship  to  the  test,  by 
asking  a  friend  to  lend  him  money,  merely  with  that 
view,  when  he  did  not  want  it."  Johnson.  "  That  is 
very  wrong,  Sir.  Your  friend  may  be  a  narrow  man, 
and  yet  have  many  good  qualities  :  narrowness  may  be 
his  only  fault.     Now  you  are  trying  his  general  char- 

Pope  thus  introduces  this  story  : 

"  Faith  in  such  case  if  you  should  prosecute, 
"  I  think  Sir  Godfrey  should  decide  the  suit, 
"  Who  sent  the  thief  who  stole  the  cash  away, 
"  And  punibh'd  liim  that  put  it  in  his  way." 

Imitacioas  of  Horace,  Book  II.  Epist.  ii. 


47b  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  acteras  a  friend,  by  one  particular  singly,  in  which  he 
^^  happens  to  be  defective,  when,  in   truth,  his  character 
6g.    is  composed  of  many  particulars." 

E.  "  I  understand  the  hogshead  of  claret,  which  this 
society  was  favoured  with  by  our  friend  the  Dean,  is 
nearly  out ;  I  think  he  should  be  written  to,  to  send 
another  of  the  same  kind.  Let  the  request  be  made 
with  a  happy  ambiguity  of  expression,  so  that  we  may 
have  the  chance  of  his  sending  it  also  as  a  present." 
Johnson.  "  1  am  willing  to  offer  my  services  as  secre- 
tary on  this  occasion."  P.  "  As  many  as  are  for  Dr. 
Johnson  being  secretary  hold  up  your  hands. — Carried 
unanimously."  Boswell.  "  He  will  be  our  Dictator." 
Johnson.  "  No,  the  company  is  to  dictate  to  me.  I 
am  only  to  write  for  wine  ;  and  1  am  quite  disinterest- 
ed, as  1  drink  none  ;  1  shall  not  be  suspected  of  having 
forged  the  application.  I  am  no  more  than  humble 
scribe"  E.  " Then  you  shall j^^/TScribe."  Boswell. 
"  Very  well.  The  first  play  of  words  to-day."  J.  "No, 
no  ;  the  buiis  in  Ireland."  Johnson.  "  Were  I  your 
Dictator  you  should  have  no  wine.  It  would  be  my 
business  cavere  ne  quid  detrimenti  Respiihlica  caperet^ 
and  wine  is  dangerous.  Rome  was  ruined  by  luxury," 
(smiling.)  E.  "  If  you  allow  no  wine  as  Dictator,  you 
shall  not  have  me  for  your  master  of  horse." 

On  Saturday,  April  4,  I  drank  tea  with  Johnson  at 
Dr.  Taylor's,  where  he  had  dined.  He  entertained  us 
with  an  account  of  a  tragedy  written  by  a  Dr.  Kennedy, 
(not  the  Lisbon  physician.)  "  The  catastrophe  of  it 
(said  he)  was,  that  a  King,  who  was  jealous  of  his 
Queen  with  his  prime-minister,  castrated  himself.* 
This  tragedy  was  actually  shewn  about  in  manuscript 
to  several  people,  and,  amongst  others,  to  Mr.  Fitzher- 
bert,  who  repeated  to  me  two  lines  of  the  Prologue  : 

1  The  reverse  of  the  story  of  Comlabus,  on  which  Mr.  David  Hume  told  Lord 
Macartney,  that  a  friend  of  his  had  written  a  tragedy,  it  is,  however,  possible 
that  I  may  have  been  inaccurate  in  my  perception  of  what  Dr.  Johnson  related, 
and  that  he  may  have  been  talking  of  the  same  ludicrous  tragical  subject  that  Mr. 
Hume  had  mentioned. 

[The  story  of  Combabus,  which  was  originally  told  by  Lucian,  may  be  found 
in  Bayle's  Dictionary.     M.] 


im.  JOHNSON.  4-79 

1778. 

'  Our  hero's  fato  we  have  but  gently  touch'd  ; 

'  The  fair  mi^ht  blame  us,  if  it  were  less  coucird.' 

'-  It  is  hardly  to  be  believed  what  absurd  and  indecent 
images  men  will  intruiUice  into  their  writings,  without 
being  sensible  of  the  absurdity  and  indeceney.  1  re- 
member Lord  Orrery  told  me,  that  there  was  a  pam- 
phlet written  against  Sir  Robert  Walpole,  the  whole  of 
which  was  an  allegory  on  the  phallick  obscenity. 
The  Duchess  of  Buckingham  asked  Lord  Orrery  zv/io 
this  person  was  \  lie  answered  he  did  not  know.  She 
said,  she  would  send  to  Mr.  Pulteney,  who,  she  sup- 
posed, could  inform  her.  So  then,  to  prevent  her  from 
making  herself  ridiculous,  Lord  Orrery  sent  her  Grace  a 
note,  in  which  he  gave  her  to  understand  what  was 
meant." 

He  was  very  silent  this  evening  ;  and  read  in  a  variety 
of  books  :  suddenly  throwing  down  one,  and  taking  up 
another. 

He  talked  of  going  to  Streatham  that  night.  Tay- 
lor. "  You'll  be  robbed,  if  you  do  :  or  you  must  shoot 
a  highwayman.  Now  1  would  rather  be  robbed  than 
do  that ;  1  would  not  shoot  a  highwayman."  John- 
son. "  But  I  would  rather  shoot  him  in  the  instant 
when  he  is  attempting  to  rob  me,  than  afterwards  swear 
against  him  at  the  Old  Bailey,  to  take  away  his  life,  af- 
ter he  has  robbed  me.  I  am  surer  I  am  right  in  the 
one  case,  than  in  the  other.  1  may  be  mistaken  as  to 
the  man  when  1  swear  :  1  cannot  be  mistaken,  if  I 
shoot  him  in  the  act.  Besides,  we  feel  less  reluctance  to 
take  away  a  man's  life,  when  we  are  heated  by  the  in- 
jury, than  to  do  it  at  a  distance  of  time  by  an  oath,  af- 
ter we  have  cooled."  Boswell.  "  So,  Sir,  you  would 
rather  act  from  the  motive  of  private  passion,  than  that 
of  publick  advantage."  Johnson.  "Nay,  Sir,  when 
1  shoot  the  highwayman,  I  act  from  both."  Boswell. 
"  Xexy  well,  very  well. — There  is  no  catching  him." 
Johnson.  "  At  the  same  time,  one  does  not  know 
what  to  say.  For  perhaps  one  may,  a  year  after,  hang 
himself  from  uneasiness  for   having  shot  a  highway- 


480  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  man."^     Few  minds  are  fit  to  be  trusted  with  so  great 
^^  a  thing."     Boswell.      "Then,   Sir,   you    would    not 
69.    shoot  him  I"     Johnson.    "  But  1  might  be  vexed  af- 
terwards for  that  too." 

Thrale's  carriage  not  having  come  for  him,  as  he  ex- 
pected, 1  accompanied  him  some  part  of  the  way  home 
to  his  own  house.  I  told  him,  that  I  had  talked  of 
him  to  Mr.  Dunning  a  few  days  before,  and  had  said, 
that  in  his  company  we  did  not  so  much  interchange 
conversation,  as  listen  to  him  ;  and  that  Dunning  ob- 
served, upon  this,  "  One  is  always  willing  to  listen  to 
Dr.  Johnson  :"  to  which  1  answered,  "  That  is  a  great 
deal  from  you.  Sir." — "  Yes,  Sir,  (said  Johnson,)  a 
great  deal  indeed.  Here  is  a  man  willing  to  hsten,  to 
whom  the  world  is  listening  all  the  rest  of  the  year." 
Boswell.  "  1  think,  Sir,  it  is  right  to  tell  one  man  of 
such  a  handsome  thinsf  which  has  been  said  of  him  bv 
another.  It  tends  to  increase  benevolence."  John- 
son. "  Undoubtedly  it  is  right,  Sir." 

On  Tuesday,  April  7,  1  breakfasted  with  him  at  his 
house.  He  said,  "  nobody  was  content."  I  mention- 
ed to  him  a  respectable  person  in  Scotland  whom  he 
knew  ;  and  I  asserted,  that  I  really  believed  he  was  al- 
ways content.  Johnson.  "No,  Sir,  he  is  not  content 
with  the  present ;  he  has  always  some  new  scheme, 
some  new  plantation,  something  which  is  future.  You 
know  he  was  not  content  as  a  widower  ;  for  he  married 
again."  Boswell.  "  But  he  is  not  restless."  John- 
son. "  Sir,  he  is  only  locally  at  rest.  A  chymist  is  lo- 
cally at  rest ;  but  his  mind  is  hard  at  work.  This  gen- 
tleman has  done  with  external  exertions.  It  is  too  late 
for  him  to  engage  in  distant  projects."  Boswell. 
"  He  seems  to  amuse  himself  quite  well ;  to  have  his 

•>  The  late  Duke  of  Montrose  was  generally  said  to  have  been  uneasy  on  that  ac- 
count ;  but  I  can  contradict  the  report  from  his  Grace's  own  authority.  As  he 
used  to  r.dmit  me  to  very  easy  conversation  with  him,  I  took  the  liberty  to  intro- 
duce the  subject.  His  Grace  told  me,  that  when  riding  one  night  near  London, 
hj  was  attacked  by  two  hipliwaymen  on  horseback,  and  that  he  instantly  shot  one 
of  them,  upon  which  the  other  gailopped  off;  that  his  servant,  who  was  very  well 
mounted,  proposed  to  pursue  him  and  take  him,  but  that  his  Grace  said, "  No,  we 
have  had  blood  enough  :  I  hope  the  maji  may  live  to  repent."  His  Grace,  upon 
my  presuming  to  put  the  question,  assured  me,  that  his  mind  was  not  at  all  cloud- 
ed by  what  he  had  thus  done  in  self-defenri^. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  481 

attention  fixed,  and  his  tranquillity  preserved  by  very  '*778. 
small  matters.  1  have  tried  this  ;  but  it  would  not  do  ^^'^t'^ 
with  me.'^  .Johnson,  (laughing)  "No,  Sir;  it  must  Gy. 
be  born  with  a  man  to  be  contented  to  take  up  with 
little  things.  Women  have  a  great  advantage  that  they  / 
may  take  up  with  little  things,  without  disgracing 
themselves:  a  man  cannot,  except  with  fiddling.  Had 
1  learnt  to  fiddle,  1  should  have  done  nothing  else." 
lioswELL.  "  Fray,  Sir,  did  you  ever  play  on  any  mu- 
sical instrument?"  Johnson.  "  No,  Sir.  I  once  bought 
me  a  flagelet ;  but  I  never  made  out  a  tune."  Bos- 
well.  "  A  flagelet.  Sir  ! — so  small  an  instrument  ?*  I 
should  have  liked  to  hear  you  play  on  the  violoncello. 
That  should  have  been  ijour  instrument."  Johnson. 
"  Sir,  1  might  as  well  have  played  on  the  violoncello  as 
another ;  but  1  should  have  done  nothing  else.  No, 
Sir ;  a  man  would  never  undertake  great  things,  could 
he  be  amused  with  small.  1  once  tried  knotting. 
Dempster's  sister  undertook  to  teach  me  ;  but  I  could 
not  learn  it."  Boswell.  "  So,  Sir  !  It  will  be  related 
in  pompous  narrative,  '  Once  for  his  amusement  he 
tried  knotting ;  nor  did  this  Hercules  disdain  the  dis- 
taff." Johnson.  "  Knitting  of  stockings  is  a  good 
amusement.  As  a  freeman  of  Aberdeen  1  should  be  a 
knitter  of  stockings."  He  asked  me  to  go  down  with 
him  and  dine  at  Mr.  Thrale's  at  Streatham,  to  which  I 
agreed.  1  had  lent  him  "  An  Account  of  Scotland,  in 
1702,"  written  by  a  man  of  various  enquiry,  an  English 
chaplain  to  a  regiment  stationed  there.  Johnson.  "  It 
is  sad  stuff,  Sir,  miserably  written,  as  books  in  general 
then  were.  There  is  now  an  elegance  of  style  univer- 
sally diffused.  No  man  now  writes  so  ill  as  Martin's 
Account  of  the  Hebrides  is  written.  A  man  could  not 
write  so  ill,  if  he  should  try.  Set  a  merchant's  clerk 
now  to  write,  and  he'll  do  better." 

He  talked  to  me  with  serious  concern  of  a  certain  fe- 
male friend's  "  laxity  of  narration,  and  inattention  to 

*  When  I  told  this  to  Miss  Seward,  she  smiled,  and  repeated,  with  admirable 
•/eadiness,  from  "  Acis  and  Galatea," 

"  Bring  me  a  hundred  reeds  of  ample  growth, 
"  To  make  a  pipe  for  my  cAPAciors  mohth," 

VOL.   IT.  ()] 


48^  THE    LIFE    OF 

'778.  truth.'' — "1  dill  as   much  vexed  (said  he)  at  the  ease 
^£i^  with  which  she  hears   it   mentioned   to   her,  as  at  the 

C)Q.  thing  itself.  1  told  her,  '  Madam,  you  are  contented 
to  hear  every  day  said  to  you,  what  the  highest  of  man- 
kind have  died  for,  rather  than  bear,' — You  know,  Sir, 
the  highest  of  mankind  have  died  rather  than  bear  to  be 
told  they  had  uttered  a  falsehood.  Do  talk  to  her  of 
it :   I  am  weary." 

BoswELL.  "  Was  not  Dr.  John  Campbell  a  very  in- 
accurate man  in  his  narrative.  Sir  I  He  once  told  me, 
that  he  drank  thirteen  bottles  of  port  at  a  sitting.'^' 
Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  I  do  not  know  that  Campbell 
ever  lied  with  pen  and  ink  ;  but  3'ou  could  not  entirely 
depend  on  any  thing  he  told  you  in  conversation,  if 
there  was  fact  mixed  with  it.  However,  1  loved  Camp- 
bell :  he  was  a  solid  orthodox  man  :  he  had  a  reverence 
for  religion.  Though  defective  in  practice,  he  was  re- 
ligious in  principle  ;  and  he  did  nothing  grossly  wrong- 
that  1  have  heard." ^ 

I  told  him,  that  [  had  been  present  the  day  before 
when  Mrs.  Montague,  the  literary  lady,  sat  to  Miss 
Reynolds  for  her  picture  ;  and  that  she  said,  "  she 
had  bound  up  Mr.  Gibbon's  History  without  the  last 
two  offensive  chapters  ;  for  that  she  thougnt  the  book 
so  far  good,  as  it  gave,  in  an  elegant  manner,  the  sub- 
stance, of  the  bad  writers  medii  cev't^  which  the  late 
Lord  Lyttelton  advised  her  to  read."  Johnson.  "  Sir, 
she  has  not  read  them  :  she  shews  none  of  this  impetu- 
osity to  me  :  she  does  not  know  Greek,  and,  I  fancy, 
knows  little  Latin.     She  is  willing  you  should  think 

"  I^ord  Macartney  observes  upon  this  passage,  "  1  have  heard  him  tell  many 
things,  which,  though  embeUishcd  by  their  mode  of  narrative,  liad  their  founda- 
tion in  trutli  ;  hut  I  never  remember  any  thing  approachhig  to  this.  If  he  had 
written  it,  I  should  have  supposed  some  wag  had  put  the  figure  of  one  before  the 
three." — I  am,  however,  absolutely  certain  that  Dr.  Campbell  told  me  it,  and  I  gave 
particular  attention  to  it,  being  myself  a  lover  of  wine,  and  therefore  curious  to 
hear  whatever  is  remarkable  concerning  drinking.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
some  men  can  drink,  without  suffering  any  injury,  such  a  quantity  as  to  others  ap- 
pears incredible.  It  is  but  fair  to  :idd,  that  Dr.  Campbell  told  me,  he  took  a  very 
long  time  to  this  great  potation  ;  and  !  have  heard  Dr.  Johnson  say,  "  Sir,  if  a  man 
drinks  verv  slowly,  and  lets  one  glas^  evaporate  before  he  takes  another,  I  know 
not  how  long  lie  may  drink."  Dr.  Campbell  mentioned  a  Colonel  of  Militia  who 
sat  wiJi  him  all  the  time,  and  drank  equally." 

8  [Dr.  John  Campbell  died  about  two  years  before  this  conversation  took  place  , 
Dec.  10,  ITTG.     M.I 


UK.    JOHNSON.  '  i8:i 

she  knows  them  ;  but  she  does  not  say  she  does/'  i778. 
BoswELL.  "  Mr.  Marris,  who  was  present,  agreed  with  ^^ 
her."  Johnson.  "  Harris  was  lauohing  at  her,  Sir.  o^). 
Harris  is  a  sound  sullen  scholar  ;  he  does  not  lik(?  in- 
terlopers. Harris,  however,  is  a  prig,  and  a  bad  prig.^ 
I  looked  into  his  book,  and  thought  he  did  not  under- 
stand his  own  system."  Bos  well.  "  He  says  plain 
things  in  a  formal  and  abstract  way,  to  be  sure  ;  but 
his  method  is  good  :  for  to  have  clear  notions  upon 
any  subject,  we  must  have  recourse  to  analytick  ar- 
rangement." Johnson.  "  Sir,  it  is  what  every  body- 
does,  whether  they  will  or  no  But  sometimes  things 
may  be  made  darker  by  definition,  1  see  a  cow.  1  de- 
fine her,  Animal  quadrupes  ruminans  cornutum.  But  a 
goat  ruminates,  and  a  cow  may  have  no  horns.  CW 
is  plainer."  Boswell.  "  I  think  Dr.  Franklin's  defi- 
nition of  Man  a  good  one — "  A  tool-making  animal." 
Johnson.  *'  But  many  a  man  never  made  a  tool  :  and 
suppose  a  man  without  arms,  he  could  not  make  a 
tool." 

Talking  of  drinking  wine,  he  said,  "  I  did  not  leave 
off  wine,  because  1  could  not  bear  it  ;  1  have  drunk 
three  bottles  of  port  without  being  the  worse  for  it. 
University  College  has  witnessed  this."  Boswell. 
"  Why  then.  Sir,  did  you  leave  it  off."  Johnson. 
"  Why,  Sir,  because  it  is  so  much  better  for  a  man  to  be 
sure  that  he  is  never  to  be  intoxicated,  never  to  lose 
the  power  over  himself.  I  shall  not  begin  to  drink 
wine  again  till  I  grow  old,  and  want  it."  Boswell. 
"  I  think.  Sir,  you  once  said  to  me,  that  not  to  drink 
wine  was  a  o-reat  deduction  from  life."  Johnson.  "  It 
is  a  diminution  of  pleasure,  to  be  sure  ;  but  I  do  not 
say  a  diminution  of  happiness.  There  is  more  happi- 
ness in  beinsT  rational."     Boswell.  "  But  if  we  could 

o 

'  What  my  friend  meant  by  tliese  words  concerning  the  amiable  philosopher  of 
Salisbury,  I  ani  at  a  loss  to  understand.  A  friend  suggests,  that  Johnson  thought 
his  manner  as  a  writer  afFected,  while  at  the  same  time  the  matlcr  did  not  compen- 
tate  for  that  fault.  In  short,  that  he  meant  to  make  a  remark  quite  diflerent  from 
that  which  a  cehbratcd  gentleman  made  on  a  very  eminent  physician  :  He  is  a  cox- 
comb, but  a  satisfactory  coxcomb" 

[The  celebrated  gentleman  here  alluded  to,  was  the  late  Right  Honourable  William 
Gerard  Hamilton.    M.] 


48 4  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  have  pleasure  always,  should  not  we  be  happy  ?  The 
Sia  gi'€;atest  part  of  men  would  compound  for  pleasure/' 
tig.  Johnson.  "  Supposing  we  could  have  pleasure  always, 
an  intellectual  man  would  not  compound  for  it.  The 
greatest  part  of  men  would  compound,  because  the 
greatest  part  of  men  are  gross."  Bos  well.  "  I  allow 
there  may  be  greater  pleasure  than  from  wine.  1  have 
had  move  pleasure  from  your  conversation.  1  have 
indeed  ;  I  assure  you  1  have."  Johnson.  "  When  we 
talk  of  pleasure,  we  mean  sensual  pleasure.  When  a 
man  says,  he  had  pleasure  with  a  woman,  he  does  not 
mean  conversation,  but  something  of  a  very  different 
nature.  Philosophers  tell  you,  that  pleasure  is  contra- 
rij  to  happiness.  Gross  men  prefer  animal  pleasure. 
So  there  are  men  who  have  preferred  living  among 
savages.  Now  what  a  wretch  must  he  be,  who  is  con- 
tent with  such  conversation  as  can  be  had  among 
savages  !  You  may  remember,  an  officer  at  Fort  Au- 
gustus, who  had  served  in  America,  told  us  of  a  woman 
whom  they  were  obliged  to  bind,  in  order  to  get  her 
back  from  savage  life."  Boswell.  "  She  must  have 
been  an  animal,  a  beast."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  she  was  a 
speaking  cat." 

I  mentioned  to  him  that  I  had  become  very  weary 
in  a  company  where  I  heard  not  a  single  intellectual 
sentence,  except  that  "  a  man  who  had  been  settled 
ten  years  in  Minorca  was  become  a  much  inferiour 
man  to  what  he  was  in  London,  because  a  man's  mind 
'  grows  narrow  in  a  narrow  place."  Johnson.  "  A 
man's  mind  grows  narrow  in  a  narrow  place,  whose 
mind  is  enlarged  only  because  he  has  lived  in  a  large 
place  :  but  what  is  got  by  books  and  thinking  is  pre- 
served in  a  narrow"place  as  well  as  in  a  large  place. 
A  man  cannot  know  modes  of  life  as  well  in  Minorca 
as  in  London  ;  but  he  may  study  mathematicks  as  well 
in  Minorca."  Boswell.  "  I  don't  know.  Sir  :  if  you 
had  remained  ten  years  in  the  Isle  of  Col,  you  would 
not  have  been  the  man  that  you  now  are."  Johnson. 
"  Yes,  Sir,  if  I  had  been  there  from  fifteen  to  twenty- 
five  ;  but  not  if  from  twenty-five  to  thirty-five."  Bos- 
well. "  I  own.  Sir,  the  spirits  which  1  have  in  London 


DR.    JOHNSON.  485 

make  me  do  every  thing  with  more  readiness  and  '778. 
vigour.  I  can  talk  twiee  as  much  in  London  as  any  ^(^ 
where  else."  69. 

Of  Goldsmith,  he  said,  "  He  was  not  an  agreeable 
companion,  for  he  talked  always  for  fame.  A  man 
who  does  so,  never  can  be  pleasing.  The  man  who 
talks  to  unburthen  his  mind,  is  the  man  to  delight  you. 
An  eminent  friend  of  ours  is  not  so  agreeable  as  the 
variety  of  his  knowledge  would  otherwise  make  him, 
because  he  talks  partly  from  ostentation." 

Soon  after  our  arrival  at  Thrale's,  I  heard  one  of  the 
maids  calling  eagerly  on  another,  to  go  to  Dr.  Johnson. 
I  wondered  what  this  could  mean.  I  afterwards 
learnt,  that  it  was  to  give  her  a  Bible,  which  he  had 
brought  from  London  as  a  present  to  her. 

He  was  for  a  considerable  time  occupied  in  reading, 
"  Memoires  de  Fontenelle^''  leaning  and  swinging  upon 
the  low  gate  into  the  court,  without  his  hat. 

I  looked  into  Lord  Kaimes's  "  Sketches  of  the 
History  of  Man  ;"  and  mentioned  to  Dr.  Johnson  his 
censure  of  Charles  the  Fifth,  for  celebrating  his  funeral 
obsequies  in  his  life-time,  which,  1  told  him,  1  had 
been  used  to  think  a  solemn  and  affecting  act.  John- 
son. "  AVhy,  Sir,  a  man  may  dispose  his  mind  to  think 
so  of  that  act  of  Charles  ;  but  it  is  so  liable  to  ridicule, 
that  if  one  man  out  of  ten  thousand  laughs  at  it,  he'll 
make  the  other  nine  thousand  nine  hundred  and  nine- 
ty-nine laugh  too."  1  could  not  agree  with  him  in 
this. 

Sir  John  Pringle  had  expressed  a  wish  that  I  would 
ask  Dr.  Johnson's  opinion  what  were  the  best  English 
sermons  for  style.  I  took  an  opportunity  to-day  of 
mentioning  several  to  him.  Attetburij  /  Johnson. 
"  Yes,  Sir,  one  of  the  best."  Boswell.  "  Tillotson  /" 
Johnson.  "  Why,  not  now.  1  should  not  advise  a 
preacher  at  this  day  to  imitate  Tillotson's  style  ;  though 
I  don't  know  ;  1  should  be  cautious  of  objecting  to 
what  has  been  applauded  by  so  many  suffrages. — South 
is  one  of  the  best,  if  you  except  his  peculiarities,  and 
his  violence,  and  sometimes  coarseness  of  language. — 
Seed  has  a  very  fine  style ;  but  he  is  not  very  theolog- 


486  THE    LIFE    OF 

^778.  ical. — Jortm^s  sermons  are  very  elegant. — S/ierlock's 
^J^  style  too  is  very  elegant,  though  he  has  not  made  it 
69.  his  principal  study. — And  you  may  add  Smailridge. 
All  the  latter  preachers  have  a  good  style.  Indeed, 
nobody  now  talks  much  of  style  :  every  body  composes 
pretty  well.  There  are  no  such  inharmonious  periods 
as  there  were  a  hundred  years  ago.  I  should  recom- 
mend Dr.  C/orA'e'^  sermons,  were  he  orthodox.  How- 
ever, it  is  very  well  known  xvJwre  he  is  not  orthodox, 
which  was  upon  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  as  to 
which  he  is  a  condemned  heretick  ;  so  one  is  aware  of 
it.^^  BoswELL.  "  I  like  Ogden's  Sermons  on  Prayer 
very  much,  both  for  neatness  of  style  and  subtilty  of 
reasoning."  Johnson.  "  J  should  like  to  read  all  that 
Ogden  has  written."  Boswell.  "  What  I  wish  to 
know  is,  what  sermons  afford  the  best  specimen  of  En- 
glish pulpit  eloquence."  Johnson.  "  We  have  no 
sermons  addressed  to  the  passions,  that  are  good  for 
any  thing  ;  if  you  mean  that  kind  of  eloquence."  A 
Clesgyman  :  (whose  name  1  do  not  recollect.) 
"  Were  not  Dodd's  sermons  addressed  to  the  passions  ?" 
i  Johnson.  "  They  were  nothing.  Sir,  be  they  addressed 
to  what  they  may." 

At  dinner,  Mrs.  Thrale  expressed  a  wish  to  go  and 
see  Scotland.  Johnson.  "  Seeing  Scotland,  Madam, 
is  only  seeing  a  worse  England.  It  is  seeing  the  flower 
gradually  fade  away  to  the  naked  stalk.  Seeing  the 
Hebrides,  indeed,  is  seeing  quite  a  different  scene." 

Our  poor  friend,  Mr.  Thomas  Davies,  was  soon  to 
have  a  benefit  at  Drury-lane  theatre,  as  some  relief  to 
his  unfortunate  circumstances.  We  were  all  warmly 
interested  for  his  success,  and  had  contributed  to  it. 
However,  we  thought  there  was  no  harm  in  having  our 
joke,  when  he  could  not  be  hurt  by  it.  1  proposed 
that  he  should  be  brought  on  to  speak  a  Prologue 
upon  the  occasion  ;  and  I  began  to  mutter  fragments 
of  what  it  might  be  :  as,  that  when  now  grown  old, 
he  was  obliged  to  cry,  "  Poor  Tom's  a-colcl  ," — that 
he  owned  he  had  b(?en  driven  from  the  stage  by  a 
Churchill,  I)ut  that  this  was  no  disgrace,  for  a  Churchill 
had  beat  the   French  ; — that  he  had  been  satyrised  as 


DR.    JOHNSON.  4S7 

*  mouthing  a  sentence  as  curs  mouth  a  bone/'  but  he  1778. 
was  now  glad  of  a  bone  to  pick. — "  Nay,  (said  John-  ^^ 
son,)  I  would  have  him  to  say,  C,<>. 

"  Mad  Tom  is  come  to  see  the  world  again." 

He  and  1  returned  to  town  in  the  evening.  Upon 
the  road,  I  endeavoured  to  maintain,  in  argument,  that 
a  landed  gentleman  is  not  under  any  obligation  to  reside 
upon  his  estate  ;  and  that  by  living  in  J^ondon  he  does 
no  injury  to  his  country.  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  he 
does  no  injury  to  his  country  in  general,  because  the 
money  which  he  draws  from  it  gets  back  again  in  cir- 
culation ;  but  to  his  particular  district,  his  particular 
parish,  he  does  an  injury.  All  that  he  has  to  give 
away  is  not  given  to  those  who  have  the  first  claim  to 
it.  And  though  I  have  said  that  the  money  circulates 
back,  it  is  a  long  time  before  that  happens.  Then,  Sir, 
a  man  of  family  and  estate  ought  to  consider  himself 
as  having  the  charge  of  a  district,  over  which  he  is  to 
dit}\ise  civility  and  happiness."' 

Next  day  1  found  him  at  home  in  the  morning. 
He  praised  Delany's  "  Observations  on  Swift  ;"  said 
that  his  book  and  Lord  Orrery's  might  both  be  true, 
though  one  viewed  Swift  more,  and  the  other  less, 
favourably  ;  and  that,  between  both,  we  might  have  a 
complete  notion  of  Swift. 

Talking  of  a  man's  resolving  to  deny  himself  the  use 
of  wine,  from  moral  and  religious  considerations,  he 
said,  "  He  must  not  doubt  about  it.  When  one  doubts 
as  to  pleasure,  we  know  what  will  be  the  conclusion. 
I  now  no  more  think  of  drinking  wine,  than  a  horse 
does.  The  wine  upon  the  table  is  no  more  for  me, 
than  for  the  dog  that  is  under  the  table." 

On  Thursday,  April  9,  1  dined  with  him  at  Sir  Josh- 
ua Reynolds's,  with  the  Bishop  of  St.  Asaph,  (Dr. 
Shipley,)  Mr.  Allan  Ramsay,  Mr.  Gibbon,  Mr.  Cam- 
bridge, and  Mr.  Langton.  Mr.  Ramsay  had  lately 
returned  from  Italy,  and  entertained  us  with  his  obser- 
vations upon   Horace's  villa,  which  he  had  examined 

'^ '  [See,  however,  pp.  427 — 429,  where  his  decision  on  this  subject  is  raore  favour- 
able to  the  absentee.     M.I 


488  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  with  great  care.     I   relished  this  muchj  as  it  brought 
^^  fresh   into  my  mind   what  I   had  viewed  with  great 
69.  '  pleasure  thirteen  years  before.     The  Bishop,  Dr.  John- 
son, and  Mr.  Cambridge,  joined  with  Mr.  Ramsay,  in 
recollecting  the  various  lines  in  Horace  relating  to  the 
subject. 

Horace's  journey  to  Brundusiuni  being  mentioned, 
Johnson  observed,  that  the  brook  which  he  describes 
IS  to  be  seen  now,  exactly  as  at  that  time  ;  and  that  he 
had  often  wondered  how  it  happened,  that  small 
brooks,  such  as  this,  kept  the  same  situation  for  ages, 
notwithstanding  earthquakes,  by  which  even  mountains 
have  been  changed,  and  agriculture,  which  produces 
such  a  variation  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth.  Cam- 
bridge. "  A  Spanish  writer  has  this  thought  in  a 
poetical  conceit.  After  observing  that  most  of  the 
solid  structures  of  Rome  are  totally  perished,  while  the 
Tiber  remains  the  same,  he  adds, 

"  Lo  que  h'a  Firme  Jiuio  solamente^ 
"  Lo  Fugiiivo  permanece  y  dura." 

Johnson.  "  Sir,  that  is  taken  from  Janus  Vitalis  : 

" immota  labescunt  ; 


"  Et  quce  per  pet  uh  sunt  agitata  manent" 

The  Bishop  said,  it  appeared  from  Horace's  writings 
that  he  was  a  cheerful  contented  man.  Johnson. 
'•'  We  have  no  reason  to  believe  that,  my  Lord.  Are 
we  to  think  Pope  was  happy,  because  he  says  so  in  his 
writings  ?  We  see  in  his  writings  what  he  wished  the 
state  of  his  mind  to  appear.  Dr.  Young,  who  pined 
for  preferment,  talks  with  contempt  of  it  in  his  writ- 
ings, and  affects  to  despise  every  thing  that  he  did  not 
despise.^^  Bishop  of  St.  Asaph.  "  He  was  like  other 
chaplains,  looking  for  vacancies  :  but  that  is  not  pecu- 
liar to  the  cleroy.  1  remember  when  1  was  with  the 
army,  after  the  battle  of  Lafeldt,  the  officers  seriously 
grumbled  that  no  general  was  killed."  Cambridge. 
''  We  may  believe  Horace  more,  when  he  says, 

"  Ronue    Tibur  amem.   ventosus   Tibure  Romam  : 


DR.    JOHNSON.  489 

than  when  he  boasts  of  his  consistency  :  *778. 

"  Me  coiistare  mihi  sets,  et  decedere  tristem^  ^tat. 

"  Quandocun(jue  tralmnt  invha  negotia  Romam."       ^' 

BoswELL.  "  How  hard  is  it  that  man  can  never  be  at 
rest."  Ramsav.  "  It  is  not  in  his  nature  to  be  at  rest. 
When  he  is  at  rest,  he  is  in  the  worst  state  that  he  can 
be  in  ;  for  he  has  nothing  to  agitate  him.  He  is  then 
Hke  the  man  in  the  Irish  song, 

>'  There  hv'd  a  young  man  in  BaUinacrazy, 

"  Who   wanted  a  wife  for  to  make  him  unaisy" 

Goldsmith  being  mentioned,  Johnson  observed,  that 
it  was  long  before  his  merit  came  to  be  acknowledged  : 
that  he  once  complained  to  him,  in  ludicrous  terms  of 
distress,  "  Whenever  1  write  any  thing,  the  publick 
7na/ie  a  point  to  know  nothing  about  it :"  but  that  his 
"  Traveller"-  brought  him  into  high  reputation.  Lang- 
ton.  "  There  is  not  one  bad  hne  in  that  poem  ;  not 
one  of  Dryden's  careless  verses."  Sir  Joshua.  "  I 
was  glad  to  hear  Charles  Fox  say,  it  was  one  of  the 
finest  poems  in  the  English  language."  Langton. 
"  Why  was  you  glad  ?  You  surely  had  no  doubt  of 
this  before."  Johnson.  "  No ;  the  merit  of  '  The 
Traveller'  is  so  well  established,  that  Mr.  Fox's  praise 
cannot  augment  it,  nor  his  censure  diminish  it."  Sir 
Joshua.  "  But  his  friends  may  suspect  they  had  too 
great  a  partiality  for  him."  Johnson.  "  Nay,  Sir,  the 
partiality  of  his  friends  was  always  against  him.  It 
was  with  difficulty  we  could  give  him  a  hearing. 
Goldsmith  had  no  settled  notions  upon  any  subject; 
so  he  talked  always  at  random.  It  seemed  to  be  his 
intention  to  blurt  out  whatever  was  in  his  mind,  and 
see  what  would  become  of  it.  He  was  angry  too,  when 
catched  in  an  absurdity  ;  but  it  did  not  prevent  him 
from  falling  into  another  the  next  minute.  1  remember 
Chamier,^    after   talking   with   him  some  time,  said, 

''■  [First  published  in  1765.     M.] 

2  [Anthony  Chamier,  Esq.  a  member  of  the  Literary  Club,  and  Under-Secre> 
rary  of  State.     He  died,  Oct.  12,  1780.     M.T 

VOX.  II.  62 


490  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  '  Well,  I  do  believe  he  wrote  this  poem  himself:  and, 
^taT  '^^  ^^  ^^^'  y^"'  ^^^^  ^^  believing  a  great  deal.'     Cha- 
09.    mier  once  asked  him,  what  he  meant  by  sioin;,  the  last 
word  in  the  first  line  of  '  The  Traveller,' 

'  Remote,  unfriended,  melancholy,  slow,' — 

Did  he  mean  tardiness  of  locomotion  ?  Goldsmith,  who 
would  say  something  without  consideration,  answered, 
'  Yes.'  I  was  sitting  by,  and  said,  '  No,  Sir;  you  do 
not  mean  tardiness  of  locomotion  ;  you  mean,  that 
sluggishness  of  mind  which  comes  upon  a  man  in  soli- 
tude.' Chamier  believed  then  that  I  had  written  the 
line,  as  much  as  if  he  had  seen  me  write  it.  Gold- 
smith, however,  was  a  man,  who,  whatever  he  wrote, 
did  it  better  than  any  other  man  could  do.  He  de- 
served a  place  in  Westminster-Abbey;  and  every  year 
he  lived,  would  have  deserved  it  better.  He  had  in- 
deed, been  at  no  pains  to  fill  his  mind  with  knowledge. 
He  transplanted  it  from  one  place  to  another  ;  and  it 
did  not  settle  in  his  mind  ;  so  he  could  not  tell  what 
was  in  his  own  books." 

We  talked  of  living  in  the  country.  Johnson. 
"  No  wise  man  will  go  to  live  in  the  country,  unless  he 
has  something^  to  do  which  can  be  better  done  in  the 
country.  For  instance  :  if  he  is  to  shut  himself  up  for 
a  year  to  study  a  science,  it  is  better  to  look  out  to  the 
fields,  than  to  an  opposite  wall.  Then,  if  a  man  walks 
out  in  the  country,  there  is  nobody  to  keep  him  from 
walking  in  again  ;  but  if  a  man  walks  out  in  London, 
he  is  not  sure  when  he  shall  walk  in  again.  A  great 
city  is,  to  be  sure,  the  school  for  studying  life  ;  and 
'  The  proper  study  of  mankind  is  man,'  as  Fope  ob- 
.serves."  Bos av ell.  "  I  fancy  London  is  the  best  place 
for  society  ;  though  1  have  heard  that  the  very  first  so- 
ciety of  Paris  is  still  beyond  any  thing  that  we  have 
here."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  I  question  if  in  Paris  such  a 
company  as  is  sitting  round  this  table  could  be  got  to- 
gether in  less  than  half  a  year.  They  talk  in  France 
of  the  felicity  of  men  and  women  living  together  :  the 
truth  is,  that  there  the  men  are  not  higher  than  the 
women,   thev  know  no  more  than  the  women  do,  and 


DH.    JOHNSON.  11)1 

they  are  not  held  down  in  their  conversation  by  the  '77«. 
presence  of  women."  Ramsay.  "  Literature  is  upon  j^^'^ 
the  cjrowth,  it  is  in  its  spring  in  l*>;\nce  :  here  it  is  (>(), 
mthcr  jxtssce.''  Johnson.  "  l^iterature  was  in  i''rance 
long  before  we  had  it.  Paris  was  the  second  city  for 
the  revival  of  letters  :  Italy  had  it  first,  to  be  sure. 
What  have  we  done  for  literature,  equal  to  what  was 
done  by  the  Stephani  and  others  in  France  1  Our  lit- 
erature came  to  us  through  France.  Caxton  printed 
only  two  books,  Chaucer,  and  Govver,  that  were  not 
translations  from  the  French  ;  and  Chaucer,  we  know, 
took  much  from  the  Italians.  No,  Sir,  if  literature  be 
in  its  spring  in  France,  it  is  a  second  spring;  it  is  after 
a  winter.  We  are  now  before  the  French  in  literature  ; 
but  we  had  it  long  after  them.  In  England,  any  man 
who  wears  a  sword  and  a  powdered  wig,  is  ashamed  to 
be  illiterate.  I  believe  it  is  not  so  in  France.  Yet 
there  is,  probably,  a  great  deal  of  learning  in  France, 
because  they  have  such  a  number  of  religious  estab- 
lishments ;  so  many  men  who  have  nothing  else  to  do 
but  to  study.  I  do  UDt  know  this  ;  but  I  take  it  upon 
the  common  principles  of  chance.  Where  there  are 
many  shooters,  some  will  hit." 

We  talked  of  old  age.  Johnson  (now  in  his  seven- 
tieth year,)  said,  "  It  is  a  man's  own  fault,  it  is  from 
want  of  use,  if  his  mind  grows  torpid  in  old  age."  The 
Bishop  asked,  if  an  old  man  does  not  lose  faster  than 
he  gets.  Johnson.  "  I  think  not,  my  Lord,  if  he  ex- 
erts himself."  One  of  the  company  rashly  observed, 
that  he  thought  it  was  happy  for  an  old  man  that  in- 
sensibility comes  upon  him.  Johnson  :  (with  a  iloble 
elevation  and  disdain,)  "  No,  Sir,  I  should  never  be 
happy  by  being  less  rational."  Bishop  or  St.  Asaph. 
"  Your  wish  then.  Sir,  is,  yyifouryaiv  ^/Wjio^tKOf."  John- 
son. "  Yes,  my  j^ord."  His  Lordship  mentioned  a 
charitable  establishment  in  Wales,  where  people  were 
maintained,  and  supplied  with  every  thing,  upon  the 
condition  of  their  contributing  the  weekly  produce  of 
their  labour ;  and  he  said,  they  grew  quite  torpid  for 
want  of  property.     Johnson.    "  They  have  no  object 


492  IHE    LIFE    OF 


1778.  for  hope.     Their  condition  cannot  be  better.     It  is  row- 

^J^  ing  without  a  port." 

6g.  One  of  the  company  asked  him  the  meaning  of  the 
expression  in  Juvenal,  unius  lacertce.  Johnson.  "  I 
think  it  clear  enough ;  as  much  ground  as  one  may 
have  a  chance  to  find  a  hzard  upon." 

Commentators  have  differed  as  to  the  exact  meaning 
of  the  expression  by  which  the  Poet  intended  to  en- 
force the  sentiment  contained  in  the  passage  where 
these  words  occur.  It  is  enough  that  they  mean  to  de- 
note even  a  very  small  possession,  provided  it  be  a  man's 
own  : 

"  B^st  aliquidy  quocunque  loco  qiwcunque  recessu, 
"  Unius  sese  dominumjecisse  lacertce  " 

This  season,  there  was  a  whimsical  fashion  in  the 
news-papers  of  applying  Shakspeare's  words  to  describe 
living  persons  well  known  in  the  world  ;  which  was 
done  under  the  title  of  "  Modern  Characters  from 
Shakspeare  ;^^  many  of  which  were  admirably  adapted. 
The  fancy  took  so  much,  that  they  were  afterwards 
collected  into  a  pamphlet.  Somebody  said  to  Johnson, 
across  the  table,  that  he  had  not  been  in  those  charac- 
ters. "  Yes  (said  he)  I  have.  I  should  have  been 
sorry  to  be  left  out."  He  then  repeated  what  had  been 
applied  to  him, 

"  You  must  borrow  me  Garagantua's  mouth." 

Miss  Reynolds  not  perceiving  at  once  the  meaning  of 
this,  he  was  obliged  to  explain  it  to  her,  which  had 
something  of  an  aukward  and  ludicrous  effect.  "  Why, 
Madam,  it  has  a  reference  to  me,  as  using  big  words, 
which  rtfjuire  the  mouth  of  a  giant  to  pronounce  them. 
Garagantua  is  the  name  of  a  giant  in  Rabelais."  Bos- 
well.  "  But,  Sir,  there  is  another  amongst  them  for  you : 

'  He  would  not  flatter  Neptune  for  his  trident, 
'  Or  Jove  for  his  power  to  thunder.' 

Johnson.  "  There  is  nothing  marked  in  that.  No, 
Sir,  Garagantua  is  the  best."  Notwithstanding  this 
ease  and  good  humour,  when  I,  a  little  while  after- 


DR.    JOHNSON.  49'i 

wards,  repeated   his  sarcasm  on  Kenrick,*  whicll  was  '778. 
received  with  applause,   he  asked,  "  W/to  said  that?"  iEtaT 
and  on  my  suddenly  answering  GarciJ^antua^  he  looked    69. 
serious,   which  was  a  sufficient  indication  that  he  did 
not  wish  it  to  be  kept  up. 

When  we  went  to  the  drawing-room,  there  was  a 
rich  assemblage.  Besides  the  company  who  had  been 
at  dinner,  there  were  Mr.  Garrick,  Mr.  Harris  ot  Salis- 
bury, Dr.  Percy,  Dr.  Burney,  the  Honourable  Mrs. 
Cholmondeley,  Miss  Hannah  More,  &c.  &c. 

After  wandering  about  in  a  kind  of  pleasing  distrac- 
tion for  some  time,  1  got  into  a  corner,  with  Johnson, 
Garrick,  and  Harris.  Garrick  :  (to  Harris.)  "  Pray, 
Sir,  have  you  read  Potter's  ^Eschylus?"  Harris. 
"  Yes;  and  think  it  pretty."  Garrick.  (to  Johnson.) 
"And  what  think  you,  Sir,  of  it !"  Johnson.  "I 
thought  what  1  read  of  it  verbiage  :  but  upon  Mr.  Har- 
ris's recommendation,  I  will  read  a  play.  (To  Mr.  Har- 
ris.) Don't  prescribe  two."  Mr.  Harris  suggested  one, 
I  do  not  remember  which.  Johnson.  "  We  must  try 
its  effect  as  an  English  poem  ;  that  is  the  way  to  judge 
of  the  merit  of  a  translation.  Translations  are,  in  gen- 
eral, for  people  who  cannot  read  the  original."  I  men- 
tioned the  vulgar  saying,  that  Pope's  Homer  was  not  a 
good  representation  of  the  original.  Johnson.  "  Sir, 
it  is  the  greatest  work  of  the  kind  that  has  ever 
been  produced."  Boswell.  "  The  truth  is,  it  is 
impossible  perfectly  to  translate  poetry.  In  a  differ- 
ent language  it  may  be  the  same  tune,  but  it  has 
not  the  same  tone.  Homer  plays  it  on  a  bassoon  ; 
Pope  on  a  flagelet."  Harris.  "  1  think  heroick 
poetry  is  best  in  blank  verse  ;  yet  it  appears  that  rhyme 
is  essential  to  English  poetry,  from  our  deficiency  in 
metrical  quantities.  In  my  opinion,  the  chief  excel- 
lence of  our  language  is  numerous  prose."  Johnson. 
"  Sir  William  'I'emple  was  the  first  writer  who  gave 
cadence  to  English  prose.  =     Before  his  time  they  were 

'  See  Vol.  I.  p.  388. 
'-  [The  authour  in  Vol.  1.  p,  175,  says,  that  Johnson  once  told  him,  "  that  he  had 
formed  his  style  upon  that  of  Sir  William  Temple,  and  upon  Chambers's  Proposal 


49-i'  THE    LIFE    OF 

'778.  careless  of  arrangement,  and  did  not  mind  whether  a 
^^^  sentence  ended  with  an  important  word  or  an  insignifi- 
69,  cant  word,  or  with  what  part  of  speech  it  was  conclud- 
ed." Mr.  Langton,  who  now  had  joined  us,  com- 
mended Clarendon.  Johnson.  "  He  is  objected  to 
for  his  parentheses,  his  involved  clauses,  and  his  want 
of  harmony.  But  he  is  supported  by  his  matter.  It 
is,  indeed,  owing  to  a  plethory  of  matter  that  his  style 
is  so  faulty  :  every  substance^  (smiling  to  Mr.  Harris,) 
has  so  many  accidents. — To  be  distinct,  we  must  talk 
analijticallij.  If  we  analyse  language,  we  must  speak 
of  it  grammatically  ;  if  we  analyse  argument,  we  must 
speak  of  it  logically."  Garrick.  "  Of  all  the  transla- 
tions that  ever  were  attempted,  I  think  Elphinston's 
Martial  the  most  extraordinary.  He  consulted  me 
upon  it,  who  am  a  little  of  an  epigrammatist  myself,  j^ou 
know.  ]  told  him  freely,  '  You  don't  seem  to  have 
that  turn.'  1  asked  him  if  he  was  serious  ;  and  finding 
he  was,  I  advised  him  against  publishing.  Why,  his 
translation  is  more  difficult  to  understand  than  the 
original.  I  thought  him  a  man  of  some  talents  ;  but 
l)e  seems  crazy  in  this."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  you  have 
done  what  I  had  not  courage  to  do.  Bu^  he  did  not 
ask  my  advice,  and  I  did  not  force  it  upon  him,  to  make 
him  angry  with  me."  Garrick.  "  But  as  a  friend, 
Sir — ."     Johnson.  "  Why,  such  a  friend  as  I  am  with 

for  his  Dictionary.  He  certainly  was  mistaken  ;  or,  if  he  imagined  at  first  that  he 
was  imitating  Temple,  he  was  very  unsuccessful,  for  nothing  can  be  more  unlike 
than  the  simplicity  of  Temple  and  the  richness  of  Johnson." 

This  observation,  on  the  first  view,  seems  perfectly  just  ;  but  on  a  closer  exam- 
ination, it  will,  I  think,  appear  to  have  been  founded  on  a  misapprehension.  Mr. 
Eoswcll  understood  Johnson  too  literally.  He  did  not,  I  conceive,  mean,  that  he 
endeavoured  to  imitate  Temple's  style  in  all  its  parts ;  but  that  he  formed  his  style 
on  iiim  and  Chambers,  (perhaps  the  paper  published  in  1737,  relative  to  his  second 
edition,  entitled  Considerations,  &c.)  taking  from  each  what  was  most  worthy 
of  imitation.  The  passage  before  us,  I  think,  shows,  that  he  learned  from  Temple 
to  modulate  his  periods,  and,  in  that  respect  only,  made  him  his  pattern. 
In  this  view  of  the  subject  there  is  no  difficulty.  He  might  learn  from  Chambers, 
compactness,  strength,  and  precision  (in  opposition  to  the  laxity  of  style  which  had 
long  prevailed) ;  from  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  (who  was  also  certainly  one  of  liis  ar- 
chetypes,) pumlcya  ferhomm,  vigour  and  energy  of  expression  ;  and  from  Temple, 
harmonious  arrangement,  the  due  collocation  of  words,  and  the  other  arts  and 
graces  of  composition  here  enumerated  :  and  yet,  after  all,  his  style  might  bear  no 
striking  resemblance  to  that  of  any  of  these  writers,  though  it  had  profited  by 
each.     M.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  49^> 

iiim — no."  Garrick.  "  But  if  you  see  a  friend  going  1778- 
to  tumble  over  a  precipice  !"  Johnson.  "  Tliat  is  an  ^^ 
extravagant  case,  Sir.  You  are  sure  a  friend  will  thank  6<). 
you  for  hindering  liini  from  tumbling  over  a  precipice  : 
but,  in  the  other  case,  1  should  hurt  his  vanity,  and  do 
him  no  good.  He  would  not  take  my  advice.  His 
brother-in-law,  Strahan,  sent  him  a  subscription  of  fifty 
pounds,  and  said  he  would  send  him  fifty  more,  if  he 
would  not  publish."  Garrick.  "  What  !  eh  !  is 
Strahan  a  good  judge  of  an  Epigram  ?  Is  not  he  rather 
an  obtuse  man,  eh  ?"  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  he  may 
not  be  a  judge  of  an  Epigram  :  but  you  see  he  is  a 
judge  of  what  is  not  an  Epigram."  Boswell.  "  It  is 
easy  for  you  Mr.  Garrick,  to  talk  to  an  anthour  as  you 
talked  to  Elphinston  ;  you,  who  have  been  so  long  the 
manager  of  a  theatre,  rejecting  the  plays  of  poor  au- 
thours.  You  are  an  old  Judge,  who  have  often  pro- 
nounced sentence  of  death.  You  are  a  practised  sur- 
geon, who  have  often  amputated  limbs  ;  and  though 
this  may  have  been  for  the  good  of  your  patients,  the}' 
cannot  like  you.  Those  who  have  undergone  a  dread- 
ful operation,  are  not  very  fond  of  seeing  the  operator 
again."  Garrick.  "  Yes,  I  know  enough  of  that. 
There  was  a  reverend  gentleman,  (Mr.  Hawkins,)  who 
wrote  a  tragedy,  the  siege  of  something,^  which  I  re- 
fused." Harris.  "  So,  the  siege  was  raised."  John- 
son. "  Aye,  he  came  to  me  and  complained  ;  and  told 
me,  that  Garrick  said  his  play  was  wrong  in  the  concoc- 
tion. Now,  what  is  the  concoction  of  a  play  !"  (Here 
Garrick  started,  and  twisted  himself,  and  seemed  sorely 
vexed  ;  for  Johnson  told  me,  he  believed  the  story  was 
true.)  Garrick.  "1 — I — I — said,  /;'i7  concoction.' 
Johnson,  (smiling.)  "Well,  he  left  out  ^W^.  And 
Rich,  he  said,  refused  him  in  false  English  :  he  could 
shew  it  under  his  hand."  Garrick.  "  He  wrote  to 
me  in  violent  wrath,  for  having  refused  his  play  :  '  Sir, 

'  It  was  called  "  The  Siege  of  Aleppo."  Mr.  Hawkins,  the  Authour  of  it,  was 
formerly  Professor  of  Poetry  at  Oxford  It  is  printed  in  his  "  Miscellanies,"  3  Vol?, 
octavo. 

[Garrick  had  high  authority  for  this  expressIoD.    Dryden  lues  it  in  one  of  hi' 
critical  essays.     M.I 


496  JHE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  this  is  growing  a  very  serious  and  terrible  affair.  I  am 
^J^  resolved  to  publish  my  play.  I  will  appeal  to  the 
69.  vvorld  ;  and  how  will  your  judgement  appear  1'  I  an- 
swered, '  Sir,  notwithstanding  all  the  seriousness,  and 
all  the  terrours,  I  have  no  objection  to  your  publishing 
your  play  ;  and  as  you  live  at  a  great  distance,  (Devon- 
shire, I  believe,)  if  you  will  send  it  to  me,  I  will  convey 
it  to  the  press.'  I  never  heard  more  of  it,  ha  !  ha  1 
ha  !" 

On  Friday,  April  10,  I  found  Johnson  at  home  in 
the  morning.  We  resumed  the  conversation  of  yester- 
day. He  put  me  in  mind  of  some  of  it  which  had 
escaped  my  memory,  and  enabled  me  to  record  it  more 
perfectly  than  1  otherwise  could  have  done.  He  was 
much  pleased  with  my  paying  so  great  attention  to  his 
recommendation  in  1763,  the  period  when  our  ac- 
quaintance began,  that  I  should  keep  a  journal  ;  and  I 
could  perceive  he  was  secretly  pleased  to  find  so  much 
of  the  fruit  of  his  mind  preserved  :  and  as  he  had  been 
used  to  imagine  and  sa}^  that  he  always  laboured  when 
he  said  a  good  thing, — it  delighted  him,  on  a  review, 
to  find  that  his  conversation  teemed  with  point  and 
imagery. 

1  said  to  him,  "  You  were  yesterday  ;  Sir,  in  re- 
markably good  humour  :  but  there  was  nothing  to 
offend  you,  nothing  to  produce  irritation  or  violence. 
There  was  no  bold  offender.  There  was  not  one  cap- 
ital conviction.  It  was  a  maiden  assize.  You  had  on 
your  white  gloves." 

He  found  fault  with  our  friend  Langton  for  having 
been  too  silent.  "  Sir,  (said  1,)  you  will  recollect  that 
he  very  properly  took  up  Sir  Joshua  for  being  glad  that 
Charles  Fox  had  praised  Goldsmith's  '  Traveller,'  and 
you  joined  him."  Johnson.  "  Yes,  Sir,  I  knocked 
Fox  on  the  head,  without  ceremony.  Reynolds  is  too 
much  under  Fox  and  Burke  at  present.  Fie  is  under 
the  Fox  star,  and  the  Irish  constellation.  He  is  always 
under  some  planet."  Boswell.  "  There  is  no  Fox 
star."  Johnson.  "  But  there  is  a  dog  star."  Bos- 
well. "  They  say,  indeed,  a  fox  and  a  dog  are  the 
same  animal." 


DU.    JOHNSON.  497 

I   reminded  him  of  a  gentleman,  wlio,  Mrs.  Choi-  ''778. 
mondeley  said,  was  first  talkative  from  affectation,  and  ^^ 
then  silent  from  the  same  cause  ;  that  he  first  thought,    69. 
"  I   shall   be   cekhrated   as  the  liveliest  man  in  every 
company  ;"  and  then,  all  at  once,  "  O  !  it  is  much 
more  respectable  to  be  grave  and  look  wise."     "  He 
has  reversed  the  Pythagorean  discipline,  by  being  first 
talkative,  and  then  silent.     He  reverses  the  course  of 
Nature   too  ;  he   was   first  the  gay  butterfly,  and  then 
the  creeping  worm."     Johnson  laughed  loud  and  long 
at   this  expansion  and   illustration  of  what  he  himself 
had  told  me. 

We  dined  together  with  Mr.  Scott  (now  Sir  William 
Scott,  his  Majesty's  Advocate  General,*)  at  his  cham- 
bers in  the  Temple,  nobody  else  there.  The  company 
being  small,  Johnson  was  not  in  such  spirits  as  he  had 
been  the  preceding  day,  and  for  a  considerable  time 
little  was  said.  At  last  he  burst  forth  :  "  Subordination 
is  sadly  broken  down  in  this  age.  No  man,  now,  has 
the  same  authority  which  his  father  had, — except  a 
gaoler.  No  master  has  it  over  his  servants  :  it  is  di- 
minished in  our  colleges  ;  nay,  in  our  granniiar  schools." 
BoswELL.  "  What  is  the  cause  of  this,  Sir  ?"  John- 
son. "  Why,  the  coming  in  of  the  Scotch,"  (laughing 
sarcastically.)  Boswell.  "  That  is  to  say,  things  have 
been  turned  topsy  turvey. — But  your  serious  cause.'' 
Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  there  are  many  causes,  the 
chief  of  which  is,  1  think,  the  great  increase  of 
money.  No  man  now  depends  upon  the  Lord  of  a 
Manour,  when  he  can  send  to  another  country,  and 
fetch  provisions.  The  shoe-black  at  the  entry  of  my 
court  does  not  depend  on  me.  1  can  deprive  him 
but  of  a  penny  a  day,  which  he  hopes  somebody  else 
will  bring  him  ;  and  that  penny  I  must  carry  to  another 
shoe-black,  so  the  trade  suffers  nothing.  I  have  ex- 
plained, in  my  '  Journey  to  the  Hebrides,'  how  gold 
and  silver  destroy  feudal  subordination.  But,  besides, 
there  is  a  general  relaxation  of  reverence.  No  son  now 
depends   upon   his  father,  as  in  former  times.     Pater- 

8  [Now  (1804,)  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Admiralty,  and  Master  of  the  Faculties.  M." 
VOL.   IT.  ^j'3 


498  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  nity  used  to  be  considered  as  of  itself  a  great  thing, 

]gj^  which  had  a  right  to  many  claims.     That  is,  in  general, 

69.    reduced   to  very  small   bounds.     My  hope  is,  that  as 

anarchy  produces  tyranny,  this  extreme  relaxation  will 

produce  freni  strictio." 

Talking  of  fame,  for  which  there  is  so  great  a  desire, 
I  observed,  how  little  there  is  of  it  in  reality,  compared 
with  the  other  objects  of  human  attention.  "  Let 
every  man  recollect,  and  he  will  be  sensible  how  small 
a  part  of  his  time  is  employed  in  talking  or  thinking  of 
Shflkspeare,  Voltaire,  or  any  of  the  most  celebrated  men 
that  have  ever  lived,  or  are  now  supposed  to  occupy 
the  attention  and  admiration  of  the  world.  Let  this  be 
extracted  and  compressed  ;  into  what  a  narrow  space 
will  it  go  !"  I  then  slily  introduced  Mr.  Garrick^s 
fame,  and  his  assuming  the  airs  of  a  great  man.  John- 
son. "  Sir,  it  is  w^onderful  how  little  Garrick  assumes. 
No,  Sir,  G2Ln'\c\i  fort  imam  reverenter  habet.  Consider, 
Sir  ;  celebrated  men,  such  as  you  have  mentioned, 
have  had  their  applause  at  a  distance  ;  but  Garrick  had 
it  dashed  in  his  face,  sounded  in  his  ears,  and  went 
home  every  night  with  the  plaudits  of  a  thousand  in  his 
cranium.  Then,  Sir,  Garrick  did  uoi  finely  but  made  his 
way  to  the  tables,  the  levees,  and  almost  the  bed-cham- 
bers of  the  great.  Then,  Sir,  Garrick  had  under  him  a 
numerous  body  of  people  ;  who,  from  fear  of  his  power 
and  hopes  of  his  favour,  and  admiration  of  his  talents, 
were  constantly  submissive  to  him.  And  here  is  a  man 
who  has  advanced  the  dignity  of  his  profession.  Gar- 
rick has  made  a  player  a  higher  character."  Scott. 
*'  And  he  is  a  very  sprightly  writer  too."  Johnson. 
"  Yes,  Sir  ;  and  all  this  supported  by  great  wealth  of 
his  own  acquisition.  If  all  this  had  happened  to  me,  I 
should  have  had  a  couple  of  fellows  with  long  poles 
walking  before  me,  to  knock  down  every  body  that 
stood  in  the  way.  Consider,  if  all  this  had  happened 
to  Cibber  or  Quin,  they'd  have  jumped  over  the  moon. 
— Yet  Garrick  speaks  to  us.'^  (smiling.)  Boswell. 
"  And  Garrick  is  a  very  good  man,  a  charitable  man." 
Johnson.  "  Sir,  a  liberal  man.  He  has  given  away 
more  money  than  any  man  in  England.     There  may 


DK.    JOHNSON.  19.) 

be  a  little  vanity  mixed  :  but  he  has  shewn,  that  money  i778, 
is  not  his  first  object."  Hoswell.  "  Yet  Foote  used  to  ^^ 
say  of  him,  that  he  walked  out  with  an  intention  to  do  (Jq. 
a  generous  action  ;  but  turning  the  corner  of  a  street, 
he  met  with  the  ghost  of  a  halTpenny,  which  frightened 
him."  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  that  is  very  true,  too; 
for  I  never  knew  a  man  of  whom  it  could  be  said  with 
less  certainty  to-day,  what  he  will  do  to-morrow,  than 
Garrick  ;  it  depends  so  much  on  his  humour  at  the 
time."  Scott.  "  1  am  glad  to  hear  of  his  liberality. 
He  has  been  represented  as  very  saving."  Johnson. 
"  With  his  domestick  saving  we  have  nothing  to  do.  I 
remember  drinking  tea  with  him  long  ago,  when  Peg 
Woffington  made  it,  and  he  grumbled  at  her  for  making 
it  too  strong.^  He  had  then  begun  to  feel  money  in 
his  purse,  and  did  not  know  when  he  should  have 
enough  of  it." 

On  the  subject  of  wealth,  the  proper  use  of  it,  and 
the  effects  of  that  art  which  is  called  economy,  he  ob- 
served, "  It  is  wonderful  to  think  how  men  of  very 
large  estates  not  only  spend  their  yearly  incomes,  but 
are  often  actually  in  want  of  money.  It  is  clear  they 
have  not  value  for  what  they  spend.  Lord  Shelburne 
told  me,  that  a  man  of  high  rank,  who  looks  into  his 
own  affairs,  may  have  all  that  he  ought  to  have,  all  that 
can  be  of  any  use,  or  appear  with  any  advantage,  for 
five  thousand  pounds  a  year.  Therefore  a  great  pro- 
portion must  go  in  waste  ;  and,  indeed,  this  is  the  case 
with  most  people,  whatever  their  fortune  is."  Bos- 
AVELL.  "  I  have  no  doubt,  Sir,  of  this.  But  how  is  it  ? 
What  is  waste  ?"  Johnson.  "  Why,  Sir,  breaking  bot- 
tles, and  a  thousand  other  things.  Waste  cannot  be 
accurately  told,  though  we  are  sensible  how  destructive 
it  is.  Economy  on  the  one  hand,  by  which  a  certain 
income  is  made  to  maintain  a  man  genteelly,  and  waste 
on  the  other,  by  which,  on  the  same  income,  another 
man  lives  shabbily,  cannot  be  defined.  It  is  a  very 
nice  thing  ;  as  one  man  wears  his  coat  out  much  soon- 
er than  another,  we  cannot  tell  how." 

When  Johnson  told  this  Httic  anecdote  to  Sir  Josliua  Reynolds,  he  mcntionetj 
a  circumstance  which  he  omitted  to-day  : — «  Why  (said  Garrick)  it  is  as  red  as 
blood." 


OOO  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  We  talked  of  war.  Johnson.  "  Every  man  thinks 
S^  meanly  of  himself  for  not  having  been  a  soldier,  or  not 
69.  having  been  at  sea."  Boswell.  "Lord  Mansfield 
does  not."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  if  Lord  Mansfield  were 
in  a  company  of  General  Officers  and  Admirals  who 
have  been  in  service,  he  would  shrink ;  he'd  wish  to 
creep  under  the  table."  Boswell.  "  No  ;  he'd  think 
he  could//-// them  all."  Johnsoiv.  "  Yes,  if  he  could 
catch  them  ;  but  they'd  try  him  much  sooner.  No, 
Sir ;  were  Socrates  and  Charles  the  Twelfth  of  Swe- 
den both  present  in  any  company,  and  Socrates  to  say, 
'  Follow  me,  and  hear  a  lecture  in  philosophy ;'  and 
Charles,  laying  his  hand  on  his  sword,  to  say,  '  Follow 
me,  and  dethrone  the  Czar  ;'  a  man  would  be  ashamed 
to  follow  Socrates.  Sir,  the  impression  is  universal : 
yet  it  is  strange.  As  to  the  sailor,  when  you  look 
down  from  the  quarter-deck  to  the  space  below,  you 
see  the  utmost  extremity  of  human  misery :  such 
crouding,  such  filth,  such  stench  !"  Boswell.  "  Yet 
sailors  are  happy."  Johnson.  "  They  are  happy  as 
brutes  are  happy,  with  a  piece  of  fresh  meat, — with 
the  grossest  sensuality.  But,  Sir,  the  profession  of 
soldiers  and  sailors  has  the  dignity  of  danger.  Man- 
kind reverence  those  vi^ho  have  got  over  fear,  which  is 
so  general  a  weakness."  Scott.  "  But  is  not  courage 
mechanical,  and  to  be  acquired  ?"  Johnson.  "  Why 
yes,  Sir,  in  a  collective  sense.  Soldiers  consider  them- 
selves only  as  part  of  a  great  machine."  Scott.  "  We 
find  people  fond  of  being  sailors."  Johnson.  "  I  can- 
not account  for  that,  any  more  than  1  can  account  for 
other  strange  perversions  of  imagination." 

His  abhorrence  of  the  profession  of  a  sailor  was 
uniformly  violent ;  but  in  conversation  he  always  ex- 
alted the  profession  of  a  soldier.  And  yet  I  have,  in 
my  large  and  various  collection  of  his  writings,  a  letter 
to  an  eminent  friend,  in  which  he  expresses  himself 
thus  :  "  My  god-son  called  on  me  lately.  He  is  weary, 
and  rationally  weary  of  a  military  life.  If  you  can 
place  him  in  some  other  state,  1  think  you  may  increase 
his  happiness,  and  secure  his  virtue.  A  soldier's  time 
is  passed  in  distress  and  danger,  or  in  idleness  and  cor- 


\)R.    JOHNSO.N.  .501 

ruption."     Such  was  his  cool  reflection  in   his  study  ;  1778. 
but  whenever  he  was   warmed   and   animated  by   the  ^f^ 
presence  of  company,  he,  like  other  philosophers,  whose    oy. 
minds  are  imprcijnated  witii  poetical  fancy,  caught  the 
common  enthusiasm  for  sph^ndid  renown. 

He  talked  of  Mr.  Charles  iox,  of  who.se  abilities  he 
thought  highly,  but  observed,  that  he  did  not  talk 
much  at  our  Club.  1  have  heard  Mr.  Ciibbon  remark, 
"that  Mr.  Fox  could  not  be  afraid  of  Dr.  Johnson  ; 
yet  he  certainly  was  very  shy  of  saying  any  thing  in 
Dr.  Johnson's  presence."  Mr.  Scott  now  quoted  what 
was  said  of  Alcibiades  by  a  Greek  poet,  to  which  John- 
son assented.' 

He  told  us,  that  he  had  given  Mrs.  Montagu  a  cata- 
logue of  all  Daniel  Defoe's  works  of  imagination  ;  most, 
if  not  all  of  which,  as  well  as  of  his  other  works,  he 
now  enumerated,  allowing-  a  considerable  share  of  merit 
to  a  man,  who,  bred  a  tradesman,  had  written  so  vari- 
ously and  so  well.  Indeed,  his  "  Robinson  Crusoe'^  is 
enough  of  itself  to  establish  his  reputation. 

He  expressed  great  indignation  at  the  imposture  of 
the  Cock-lane  Ghost,  and  related,  with  much  satisfac- 
tion, how  he  had  assisted  in  detecting  the  cheat,  and 
had  published  an  account  of  it  in  the  newspapers.  Up- 
on this  subject  1  incautiously  offended  him,  by  pressing 
him  with  too  many  questions,  and  he  shewed  his  dis- 
pleasure. I  apologised,  saying  that  "  1  asked  questions  in 
order  to  be  instructed  and  entertained  ;  I  repaired  ea- 
gerly to  the  fountain  ;  but  that  the  moment  he  gave 
me  a  hint,  the  moment  he  put  a  lock  upon  the  well,  1 

'  [Wishing  to  discover  the  ancient  observation  here  referred  to,  I  applied  to  Sir 
William  Scott  on  tlie  subject,  but  he  had  no  recollection  of  it. — My  old  and  very 
learned  friend.  Dr.  Michael  Kearney,  formerly  senior  feUow  of  Trinity  College, 
Dublin,  and  now  Arch-deacon  of  Raphoe  in  Ireland,  has,  however,  most  happily 
elucidated  this  passage.  He  remarks  to  me  that  "  Mr.  Boswell's  memory  must  here 
have  deceived  him  ;  and  that  Mr.  Scott's  observation  must  have  been,  that '  Mr. 
I'ox,  in  the  instance  mentioned,  might  be  considered  as  the  re-vcne  of  Phaux,  of 
whom,  ai  Plutarch  relates  in  the  Life  of  Alcibiades,  Eupolis  the  tragedian  said,  . 
//  is  true  l<e  can  talk,  and  yet  he  is  no  speaker." 

If  this  discovery  had  been  made  by  a  scholiast  on  an  ancient  authour,  with  wh.it 
ardour  and  exuberant  praise  would  lientley  or  Taylor  have  spoken  of  it ! — Sir  Will- 
iam Scott,  to  whom  1  communicated  Dr.  Kearney's  remark,  is  perfectly  satisfied 
that  it  is  correct.  For  the  other  observations  signed  K.  we  are  indebted  to  the 
same  gentleman.  Every  classical  reader  will  lament  that  thev  are  not  more  nu- 
mero\is.     M.I 


502  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  desisted/'     "  But,  Sir,  (said  he,)  that  is  forcing  one  to 

^^  do  a  disagreeable  thing  :"  and  he  continued  to  rate  me. 

69.    "  Nay,  Sir,  (said  I,)  when  you   have   put  a  lock  upon 

the  well,  so  that  1  can  no  longer  drink,   do  not  make 

the  fountain  of  your  wit  play  upon  me  and  wet  me." 

He  sometimes  could  not  bear  being  teased  with 
questions.  1  was  once  present  when  a  gentleman  ask- 
ed so  many,  as,  "  What  did  you  do.  Sir  I"  "  What  did 
you  say.  Sir?"  that  he  at  last  grew  enraged,  and  said, 
"  1  will  not  be  put  to  the  question.  Don't  you  consid- 
er, Sir,  that  these  are  not  the  manners  of  a  gentleman  l 
I  will  not  be  baited  with  zvhat  and  whi/ ;  what  is  this? 
what  is  that  ?  why  is  a  cow's  tail  long?  why  is  a  fox's 
tail  bushy  ?"  The  gentleman,  who  was  a  good  deal  out 
of  countenance,  said,  "  Why,  Sir,  you  are  so  good,  that 
I  venture  to  trouble  you."  Johnson.  "  Sir,  my  being 
so  good  is  no  reason  why  you  should  be  so  ///." 

Talking  of  the  Justitia  hulk  at  Woolwich,  in  which 
criminals  were  punished,  by  being  confined  to  labour, 
he  said,  "  I  do  not  see  that  they  are  punished  by  this  : 
they  must  have  worked  equally,  had  they  never  been 
guilty  of  stealing.  They  now  only  work  ;  so,  after  all, 
they  have  gained  ;  what  they  stole  is  clear  gain  to 
them  ;  the  confinement  is  nothing.  Every  man  who 
works  is  confined:  the  smith  to  his  shop,  the  tailor  to 
his  garret."  Boswell.  "  And  Lord  Mansfield  to  his 
Court."  Johnson.  "Yes,  Sir.  You  know  the  notion 
of  confinement  may  be  extended,  as  in  the  song,  '  Ev- 
ery island  is  a  prison.'  There  is  in  Dodsley's  collection, 
a  copy  of  verses  to  the  authour  of  that  song." 

Smith's  Latin  verses  on  Pococke,  the  great  traveller,' 
were  mentioned.  He  repeated  some  of  them,  and  said 
they  were  Smith's  best  verses. 

He  talked  with  an  uncommon  animation  of  travelling 
into  distant  countries  ;  that  the  mind  was  enlarged  by 
it,  and  that  an  acquisition  of  dignity  of  character  was 
derived  from  it.  He  expressed  a  particular  enthusiasm 
with  respect  to  visiting  the  wall   of  China.     1  catched 

'  [Smith's  Verses  are  on  Edward  Pococke,  the  great  Oriental  linguist :  he  travelled, 
jt  is  true  ;  but  Dr.  Richard  Pococke,  late  Bishop  of  Ossory,  who  published  J  rav- 
els through  the  East,  is  usually  called  the  great  traveller.     K.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  50S 

It  for  the  moment,  and  said  1  really  believed  I  should  i??**. 
go  and  see  the  wall   of  China   had  I  not   children,  of  ^[^ 
whom  it  was   my  duly  to  take  care.     "  Sir,  (said  he,)    69. 
by  doing  so,  you  would  do   what  would   be  of  import- 
ance  in   raising    vour  children   to  eminence.      There 
would  1)0  a  lustre  reflected  upon  them  from  your  spirit 
and  curiosity.     They  would  be  at  all  times  regarded  as 
the  (children  of  a  man  who   had   gone  to  view  the  wall 
of  China.     1  am  serious,  Sir." 

When  we  had  left  Mr.  Scott's,  he  said,  "  Will  you  go 
home  with  me  !"  "  Sir,  (said  1,)  it  is  late  ;  but  I'll  go 
with  you  for  three  minutes."  Johnson.  ^^  Or  Jour." 
We  went  to  Mrs.  Williams's  room,  where  we  found 
Mr  Allen  the  printer,  who  was  the  landlord  of  his 
house  in  Bolt-court,  a  worthy  obliging  man,  and  his  very 
old  acquaintance  ;  and  what  was  exceedingly  amusing, 
though  he  was  of  a  very  diminutive  size,  he  used,  even 
in  Johnson's  presence,  to  imitate  the  stately  periods  and 
slow  and  solemn  utterance  of  the  great  man. — 1  this 
evening  boasted,  that  although  1  did  not  write  what  is 
called  stenography,  or  short-hand,  in  appropriated  char- 
acters devised  for  the  purpose,  1  had  a  method  of  my 
own  of  writing  half  words,  and  leaving  out  some  alto- 
gether, so  as  yet  to  keep  the  substance  and  language  of 
any  discourse  which  1  had  heard  so  much  in  view,  that 
I  could  give  it  very  completely  soon  after  I  had  taken 
it  down.  He  defied  me,  as  he  had  once  defied  an 
actual  short-hand  writer  ;  and  he  made  the  experiment 
by  reading  slowly  and  distinctly  a  part  of  Robertson's 
"  History  of  America,"  while  1  endeavoured  to  write  it 
in  my  way  of  taking  notes.  It  was  found  that  1  had  it 
very  imperfectly ;  the  conclusion  from  which  was,  that 
its  excellence  was  principally  owing  to  a  studied  ar- 
rangement of  words,  which  could  not  be  varied  or 
abridged  without  an  essential  injury. 

On  Sunday,  April  12,  1  found  him  at  home  before 
dinner ;  Dr.  Dodd's  poem  entitled  "  Thoughts  in  Pris- 
on," was  lying  upon  his  table.  This  appearing  to  me 
an  extraordinary  efibrt  by  a  man  who  was  in  Newgate 
for  a  capital  crime,  I  was  desirous  to  hear  Johnson's 
opinion  of  it  :  to  my  surprize,  he  told   me  he  had  not 


O04  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  read  a  line  of  it.  I  took  up  the  book,  and  read  a  pas- 
^^  sage  to  him.  Johnson.  "  Pretty  well,  if  you  are  pre- 
Qg^  '  viously  disposed  to  like  them."  I  read  another  pas- 
sage, with  which  he  was  better  pleased.  He  then  took 
the  book  into  his  own  hands,  and  having  looked  at  the 
prayer  at  the  end  of  it,  he  said,  "  What  evidence  is  there 
that  this  was  composed  the  night  before  he  suffered? 
/  do  not  believe  it."  He  then  read  aloud  where  he 
prays  for  the  King,  &c.  and  observed,  "  Sir,  do  you 
think  that  a  man,  the  night  before  he  is  to  be  hanged, 
cares  for  the  succession  of  a  royal  family  ? — Though  he 
maif  have  composed  this  prayer,  then.  A  man  who 
has  been  canting  all  his  life,  may  cant  to  the  last. — 
And  yet,  a  man  who  has  been  refused  a  pardon  after 
so  much  petitioning,  would  hardly  be  praying  thus  fer- 
vently for  the  King." 

He  and  I,  and  Mrs.  Williams,  went  to  dine  with  the 
Reverend  Dr.  Percy.  Talking  of  Goldsmith,  Johnson 
said,  he  was  very  envious.  1  defended  him,  by  observ- 
ing that  he  owned  it  frankly  upon  all  occasions.  John- 
son. "  Sir,  you  are  enforcing  the  charge.  He  had  so 
much  envy,  that  he  could  not  conceal  it.  He  was  so 
full  of  it  that  he  overflowed.  He  talked  of  it  to  be  sure 
often  enough.  Now,  Sir,  what  a  man  avows,  he  is  not 
ashamed  to  think  ;  though  many  a  man  thinks,  what 
he  is  ashamed  to  avow.  We  are  all  envious  naturally  ; 
but  by  checking  envy,  we  get  the  better  of  it.  So  we 
are  all  thieves  naturally  ;  a  child  always  tries  to  get 
at  what  it  wants  the  nearest  way  ;  by  good  instruction 
and  good  habits  this  is  cured,  till  a  man  has  not  even 
an  inclination  to  seize  what  is  another's ;  has  no  strug- 
gle with  himself  about  it." 

And  here  I  shall  record  a  scene  of  too  much  heat 
between  Dr.  Johnson  and  Dr.  Percy,  which  1  should 
have  suppressed,  were  it  not  that  it  gave  occasion  to 
display  the  truly  tender  and  benevolent  heart  of  John- 
son, who  as  soon  as  he  found  a  friend  was  at  all  hurt  by 
any  thing  which  he  had  "  said  in  his  wrath,"  was  not 
only  prompt  and  desirous  to  be  reconciled,  but  exerted 
himself  to  make  ample  reparation. 


DR.   JOHNSON.  505 

Books  of  Travels  having  been  mentioned,  Johnson  HTs. 
praised  Pennant  very  highly,  as  he  did  at  Ounvegan,  ^{^ 
in  the  Isle  of  Sky.*  Dr.  Percy  knowing  himself  to  be  cg. 
the  heir  male  of  the  ancient  Percies,^  and  having  the 
warmest  and  most  dutiful  attachment  to  the  noble 
House  of  Northumberland,  could  not  sit  quietly  and 
hear  a  man  praised,  who  had  spoken  disrespectfully  of 
Alnwick-Castle  and  the  Duke's  pleasure-grounds,  es- 
pecially as  he  thought  meanly  of  his  travels.  He 
therefore  opposed  Johnson  eagerly.  Johnson.  "  Pen- 
nant in  what  he  has  said  of  Alnwick,  has  done  what 
he  intended  ;  he  has  made  you  very  angry."  Percy. 
"  He  has  said  the  garden  is  trim,  which  is  representing 
it,  like  a  citizen's  parterre,  when  the  truth  is,  there  is  a 
very  large  extent  of  fine  turf  and  gravel  walks."  John- 
son. "  According  to  your  own  account,  Sir,  Pennant 
is  right.  It  is  trim.  Here  is  grass  cut  close,  and  gravel 
rolled  smooth.  Is  not  that  trim  !  The  extent  is  noth- 
ing against  that;  a  mile  may  be  as  trim  as  a  square 
yard.  Your  extent  puts  me  in  mind  of  the  citizen's 
enlarged  dinner,  two  pieces  of  roast-beef,  and  two  pud- 
dings. There  is  no  variety,  no  mind  exerted  in  laying 
out  the  ground,  no  trees."  Percy.  "  He  pretends  to 
give  the  natural  history  of  Northumberland,  and  yet 
takes  no  notice  of  the  immense  number  of  trees  planted 
there  of  late."  Johnson.  "  That,  Sir,  has  nothing  to 
do  with  the  natural  history  ;  that  is  civil  history.  A 
man  who  gives  the  natural  history  of  the  oak,  is  not  to 

-  "  Journal  of  a  Tour  to  the  Hebrides,"  edit.  3.  p.  221. 

•  See  this  accurately  stated,  and  the  descent  of  his  family  from  the  Earls  of  North- 
umberland clearly  deduced  in  the  Reverend  Dr.  Mash's  excellent  "  History  of 
Worcestershire,"  vol.  ii.  p.  318.  The  Doctor  has  subjoined  a  note,  in  which  he 
jays, "  The  Editor  hath  seen  and  carefully  examined  the  proofs  of  all  the  particu- 
lars above-mentioned,  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Reverend  Thomas  Percy." 

The  same  proofs  I  have  also  myself  carefully  examined,  and  have  seen  some  ad- 
ditional proofs  which  have  occurred  since  the  Doctor's  book  was  published  ;  and 
botii  as  a  Lawyer  accustomed  to  the  consideration  of  evidence,  and  as  a  Genealo- 
gist versed  in  the  study  of  pedigrees,  I  am  fully  satisfied.  1  cannot  help  observ- 
ing, as  a  circumstance  of  no  small  moment,  that  in  tracing  the  Bishop  of  Dromore's 
genealogy,  essential  aid  was  given  by  the  late  Elizabeth  Duchess  of  Northumber- 
land, Heiress  of  that  illustrious  House  ;  a  lady  not  only  of  high  dignity  ol  spirit, 
such  as  became  her  noble  blood,  but  of  excellent  understanding  and  lively  talents. 
With  a  fair  pride  I  can  boast,  of  the  honour  of  her  Grace's  correspondence,  speci- 
mens of  which  adorn  my  archives. 

VOL.  II.  64 


506  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  tell  how  many  oaks  have  been  planted  in  this  place  or 
^^  that.  A  man  who  gives  the  natural  history  of  the  cow, 
Gq.  is  not  to  tell  how  many  cows  are  milked  at  Islington. 
The  animal  is  the  same,  whether  milked  in  the  Park  or 
at  Islington."  Percy.  "  Pennant  does  not  describe 
well ;  a  carrier  who  goes  along  the  side  of  Lochlomond 
would  describe  it  better."  Johnson.  "  I  think  he  de- 
scribes very  well."  Percy.  "  1  travelled  after  him." 
Johnson.  "  And  /  travelled  after  him."  Percy. 
"  But,  my  good  friend,  you  are  short-sighted,  and  do 
not  see  so  well  as  I  do."  1  wondered  at  Dr.  Percy's 
venturing  thus.  Dr.  Johnson  said  nothing  at  the  time  : 
but  inflammable  particles  were  collecting  for  a  cloud  to 
burst.  In  a  little  while  Dr.  Percy  said  something  more 
in  disparagement  of  Pennant.  Johnson,  (pointedly) 
"  This  is  the  resentment  of  a  narrow  mind,  because  he 
did  not  find  every  thing  in  Northumberland."  Percy. 
(feeling  the  stroke)  "  Sir,  you  may  be  as  rude  as  you 
please."  Johnson.  "  Hold,  Sir  !  Don't  talk  of  rude- 
ness ;  remember.  Sir,  you  told  me,  (puffing  hard  with 
passion  struggling  for  a  vent)  I  was  short-sighted.  We 
have  done  with  civility.  We  are  to  be  as  rude  as  we 
please."  Percy.  "  Upon  my  honour.  Sir,  1  did  not 
mean  to  be  uncivil."  Johnson.  "  i  cannot  say  so, 
Sir  ;  for  I  did  mean  to  be  uncivil,  thinking  /jo/i  had 
been  uncivil."  Dr.  Percy  rose,  ran  up  to  liim,  and 
taking  him  by  the  hand,  assured  him  affectionately 
that  his  meaning  had  been  misunderstood  ;  upon 
which  a  reconciliation  instantly  took  place.  Johnson. 
"  My  dear  Sir,  1  am  willing  you  shall  /tang  Pennant." 
Percy,  (resuming  the  former  subject)  "  Pennant 
complains  that  the  helmet  is  not  hung  out  to  invite  to 
the  hair  of  hospitality.*  Now  I  never  heard  that  it 
was  a  custom  to  hang  out  a  /le/mef."  Johnson. 
"  Hang  him  up,  hang  him  up."     Boswell.  (humour- 

'  It  certainly  was  h  custom,  as  appears  from  the  following  passage  In  Perceforest. 
vol.  lii.  p.  lOS  : — "  fasoient  mettre  au  plus  hault  de  leur  hostel  iin  heaulniCf  en  sig- 
lu-  que  tons  les  gentils  liommes  ct  gentillcs  femmes  entrassent  hardiment  en  leur 
hostel  comma  en  leur  propre,"  &:c.     K. 

[The  aulhour's  second  son,  Mr.  James  Boswell,  late  of  Brazennose  College,  in 
Oxford,  and  now  of  the  Inner  Temple,  had  noticed  this  passage  in  Perceforest,  ami 
suggested  to  me  the  same  remark.     M.] 


DR.    JOHNSON.  .307 

iiig  the  joke)  "  Hang  out  his  skull  instead  of  a  hehnet,  J778. 
and  you   may  drink  ale  out  of  it  in  your  hall  of  Odin,  ^^ 
as  he  is  your  enemy  ;  that  will  be  truly  ancient.    There   6<). 
will  be    '  Northern  Anti(|uities."5      Johnson.  "  lie's 
a  W/iig^  Sir  ;  a  sad  dog,  (smiling  at  his  own  violent  ex- 
pressions, merely  for  poiiticuL  difference  of  opinion.) 
But   he's   the   best  traveller  1  ever  read  ;  he  observes 
more  things  than  any  one  else  docs." 

1  could  not  help  thinking  that  this  was  too  high  praise 
of  a  writer  who  traversed  a  wide  extent  of  country  in 
such  haste,  that  he  could  put  together  only  curt  frit- 
tered fragments  of  his  own,  and  afterwards  procured 
supplemental  intelligence  from  parochial  ministers,  and 
others  not  the  best  qualified  or  most  impartial  narra- 
tors, whose  ungenerous  prejudice  against  the  house  of 
Stuart  glares  in  misrepresentation  ;  a  writer,  who  at 
best  treats  merely  of  superficial  objects,  and  shews  no 
philosophical  investigation  of  character  and  manners, 
such  as  Johnson  has  exhibited  in  his  masterly  "  Jour- 
ney," over  part  of  the  same  ground  ;  and  who  it  should 
seem  from  a  desire  of  ingratiating  himself  with  the 
Scotch,  has  flattered  the  people  of  North-Britain  so  in- 
ordinately and  with  so  little  discrimination,  that  the 
judicious  and  candid  amongst  them  must  be  disgusted, 
while  they  value  more  the  plain,  just,  yet  kindly  re- 
port of  Johnson. 

Having  impartially  censured  Mr.  Pennant,  as  a  trav- 
eller in  Scotland,  let  me  allow  him  from  authorities  much 
better  than  mine,  his  deserved  praise  as  an  able  Zoolo- 
gist ;  and  let  me  also  from  my  own  understanding  and 
feelings,  acknowledge  the  merit  of  his  "  London," 
which,  though  said  to  be  not  quite  accurate  in  some 
particulars,  is  one  of  the  most  pleasing  typographical 
performances  that  ever  appeared  in  any  language.  Mr. 
Pennant,  like  his  countrymen  in  general,  has  the  true 
spirit  of  a  Gentleman.  As  a  proof  of  it,  I  shall  quote 
from  his  "  London"  the  passage,  in  which  he  speaks 
of  my  illustrious  friend.  "  1  must  by  no  means  omit 
Bolt-couri,   the    long    residence   of    Doctor   Samuel 

'  The  title  of  a  book  translated  by  Dr.  Percy. 


508  THE    LIFE    OF 

1778.  Johnson,  a  man  of  the  strongest  natural  abilities, 
^J^  great  learning,  a  most  retentive  memory,  of  the  deep- 
6g,  est  and  most  unaffected  piety  and  morahty,  mingled 
with  those  numerous  weaknesses  and  prejudices  which 
his  friends  have  kindly  taken  care  to  draw  from  their 
dread  abode.  ^  1  brought  on  myself  his  transient  anger, 
by  observing  that  in  his  tour  in  Scot/and,  he  once  had 
long  and  woeful  experience  of '  oats  being  the  food  of 
men  in  Scotland  as  they  were  of  horses  in  England.' 
It  was  a  national  reflection  unworthy  of  him,  and  I 
shot  my  bolt.  In  return  he  gave  me  a  tender  hug.'^ 
Con  amore  he  also  said  of  me  '  The  Dog  is  a  Whig  .-'^ 
I  admired  the  virtues  of  Lord  Russel^  and  pitied  his 
fall.  1  should  have  been  a  Whig  at  the  Revolution. 
There  have  been  periods  since,  in  which  I  should  been, 
what  I  now  am,  a  moderate  Tory,  a  supporter,  as  far  as 
my  little  influence  extends,  of  a  well-poised  balance 
between  the  crown  and  people  :  but  should  the  scale 
preponderate  against  the  Salus  populi^  that  moment 
may  it  be  said  '  The  dog's  a  Whig  !" 

We  had  a  calm  after  the  storm,  staid  the  evening 
and  supped,  and  were  pleasant  and  gay.  But  Dr. 
Percy  told  me  he  was  very  uneasy  at  what  had  passed  ; 
for  there  was  a  gentleman  there  who  was  acquainted 
with  the  Northumberland  family,  to  whom  he  hoped 
to  have  appeared  more  respectable,  by  shewing  how 
intimate  he  was  with  Dr.  Johnson,  and  who  might  now, 
on  the  contrary,  go  away  with  an  opinion  to  his  disad- 
vantage. He  begged  I  would  mention  this  to  Dr. 
Johnson,  which  1  afterwards  did.  His  observation 
upon  it  was,  "  This  comes  of  stratagem  ;  had  he  told 
me  that  he  wished  to  appear  to  advantage  before  that 
gentleman,  he  should  have  been  at  the  top  of  the 
house,  all   the   time."     He  spoke  of  Dr.  Percy  in  the 

'  This  is  the  common  cant  against  faithful  Biography.  Does  the  worthy  gen- 
tleman mean  that  I,  who  was  taught  discrimination  of  character  by  Johnson, 
should  have  omitted  his  frailties,  and,  in  short,  have  bedaivbed  him  as  the  worthy 
gentleman  has  bedawbed  Scotland  ?— Bosvvell. 

See  Dr.  Johnson's  "  Journey  to  the  Western  Islands,"  p.  296  : — see  his  Dic- 
tionary article,  oati  : — and  my  "  Voyage  to  the  Hebrides,"  first  edition— Pennant. 

"  Mr.  Boswell's  Journal,  p.  386. — Pennant. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  609 

handsomest  manner.  "  Then,  Sir,  (said  1)  may  I  be  1778. 
allowed  to  suggest  a  mode  by  which  you  may  effect-  ^J^ 
ually  counteract  iiny  unfavourable  report  of  what  pass-  gg 
ed.  1  will  write  a  letter  to  you  upon  the  subject  of 
the  unlucky  contest  of  that  day,  and  you  will  be  kind 
enough  to  put  in  writing  as  an  answer  to  that  letter, 
what  you  have  now  said,  and  as  I^ord  Percy  is  to  dine 
with  us  at  General  Faoli's  soon,  I  will  take  an  oppor- 
tunity to  read  the  correspondence  in  his  Lordship's 
presence.  This  friendly  scheme  was  accordingly  car- 
ried into  execution  without  Dr.  Percy's  knowledge. 
Johnsr>n's  letter  placed  Dr.  Percy's  unquestionable  merit 
in  the  fairest  point  of  view  ;  and  I  contrived  that  Lord 
Percy  should  hear  the  correspondence,  by  introducing  it 
at  General  Paoli's,  as  an  instance  of  Dr.  Johnson's  kind 
disposition  towards  one  in  whom  his  Lordship  was  inter- 
ested. Thus  every  unfavourable  impression  was  obviated 
that  could  possibly  have  been  made  on  those  by  whom  he 
wished  most  to  be  regarded.  1  breakfasted  the  day  after 
with  him,  and  informed  him  of  my  scheme,  and  its 
happy  completion,  for  which  he  thanked  me  in  the 
warmest  terms,  and  was  highly  delighted  with  Dr. 
Johnson's  letter  in  his  praise,  of  which  I  gave  him  a 
copy.  He  said  "  I  would  rather  have  this  than  de- 
grees from  all  the  Universities  in  Europe.  It  will  be 
for  me,  and  my  children  and  grand-children."  Dr. 
Johnson  having  afterwards  asked  me  if  1  had  given  him 
a  copy  of  it,  and  being  told  1  had,  was  offended,  and 
insisted  that  I  should  get  it  back,  which  1  did.  As,  . 
however,  he  did  not  desire  me  to  destroy  either  the 
original  or  the  copy,  or  forbid  me  to  let  it  be  seen,  I 
think  myself  at  liberty  to  apply  to  it  his  general  decla- 
ration to  me  concerning  his  own  letters.  "  That  he 
did  not  choose  they  should  be  published  in  his  life- 
time ;  but  had  no  objection  to  their  appearing  after  his 
death."  1  shall  therefore  insert  this  kindly  correspond- 
ence, having  faithfully  narrated  the  circumstances  ac- 
companying it. 


JlO  I'HE    LIFE    OF 

*^^^*  "  TO  DR.  SAMUEL  JOHNSON. 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  BEG  leave  to  address  you  in  behalf  of  our  friend 
Dr.  Percy,  who  was  much  hurt  by  what  you  said  to 
him  that  day  we  dined  at  his  house  ;^  when,  in  the 
course  of  the  dispute  as  to  Pennant's  merit  as  a  travel- 
ler, you  told  Percy  that  '  he  had  the  resentment  of  a 
narrow  mind  against  Pennant,  because  he  did  not  find 
every  thing  in  Northumberland.'  Percy  is  sensible 
that  you  did  not  mean  to  injure  him  ;  but  he  is  vexed 
to  think  that  your  behaviour  to  him  on  that  occasion 
may  be  interpreted  as  a  proof  that  he  is  despised  by 
you,  which  1  know  is  not  the  case.  I  have  told  him, 
that  the  charge  of  being  narrow-minded  was  only  as  to 
the  particular  point  in  question  ;  and  that  he  had  the 
merit  of  being  a  martyr  to  his  noble  family. 

"  Earl  Percy  is  to  dine  with  General  Paoli  next  Fri- 
day ;  and  I  should  be  sincerely  glad  to  have  it  in  my 
power  to  satisfy  his  Lordship  how  well  you  think  of 
Dr.  Percy,  who,  I  find,  apprehends  that  your  good 
opinion  of  him  may  be  of  very  essential  consequence  ; 
and  who  assures  me,  that  he  has  the  highest  respect 
and  the  warmest  affection  for  you. 

"  I  have  only  to  add,  that  my  suggesting  this  occa- 
sion for  the  exercise  of  your  candour  and  generosity,  is 
altogether  unknown  to  Dr.  Percy,  and  proceeds  from 
my  good-will  towards  him,  and  my  persuasion  that  you 
will  be  happy  to  do  him  an  essential  kindness.  I  am, 
more  and  more,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  faithful 

"  And  affectionate  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell.'' 

"  to  james  eoswell,  esq. 

"  SIR, 

"  The  debate  between  Dr.  Percy  and  me  is  one 
of  those  foolish  controversies,  which  begin  upon  a  ques- 
tion of  which  neither  party  cares  how  it  is  decided,  and 

•  Suncl;iy,  April  12,  1778. 


DR.    JOHNSON.  6\  1 

which  is,  nevertheless,  continued  to  acrimony,  by  the  i778. 
vanity  with  which  every  man  resists  confutation.  Dr.  ^^ 
Percy's  warmth  proceeded  from  a  cause  which,  per-  oj). 
haps,  does  him  more  lionour  than  he  could  have  de- 
rived from  juster  criticism.  His  abhorrence  of  Pen- 
nant proceeded  from  his  opinion  that  Pennant  had  wan- 
tonly and  indecently  censured  his  patron.  His  anger 
made  him  resolve,  that,  for  having  been  once  wrong, 
lie  never  should  be  right.  Pennant  has  much  in  his 
notions  that  1  do  not  like  ;  but  still  1  think  him  a  very  in- 
telligent traveller.  If  Percy  is  really  oifended,  I  am 
sorry  ;  for  he  is  a  man  whom  I  never  knew  to  offend 
any  one.  He  is  a  man  very  willing  to  learn,  and  very 
able  to  teach  ;  a  man,  out  of  whose  company  1  never 
go  without  having  learned  something.  It  is  sure  that 
he  vexes  me  sometimes,  but  1  am  afraid  it  is  by  mak- 
ing me  feel  my  own  ignorance.  So  much  extension  of 
mind,  and  so  much  minute  accuracy  of  enquiry,  if  you 
survey  your  whole  circle  of  acquaintance,  you  will  find 
so  scarce,  if  you  find  it  at  all,  that  you  will  value  Percy 
by  comparison.  Lord  Hailes  is  somewhat  like  him  : 
but  Lord  Hailes  does  not,  perhaps,  go  beyond  him  in 
research  ;  and  1  do  not  know  that  he  equals  him  in  el- 
egance. Percy's  attention  to  poetry  has  given  grace 
and  splendour  to  his  studies  of  antiquity.  A  mere 
antiquarian  is  a  rugged  being. 

"  Upon  the  whole,  you  see  that  what  I  might  say  in 
sport  or  petulance  to  him,  is  very  consistent  with  full 
conviction  of  his  merit. 

"  I  am,  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most,  &c. 
"  April  23,  1778.  "  Sam.  Johnson." 

'  TO  THE  REVEREND   DR.  PERCY,  NORTHUMBERLAND- 
HOUSE. 

"   DEAR  SIR, 

"  I  WROTE  to  Dr.  Johnson  on  the  subject  of  the 
Permajdian  controversy ;  and  have  received  from  him 
an  answer  which  will  delight  you.  I  read  it  yesterday 
to  Dr.  Robertson,  at  the  Exhibition  ;  and  at  dinner  to 


61'2  THE    LIFE    OF    DR.   JOHNSON. 

1778.  to  Lord  Percy,  General  Oglethorpe,  &c.  who  dined 
^^^  vvith  us  at  General  Paoli's  ;  who  was  also  a  witness  to 
69.    the  high  testimony  to  your  honour. 

"  General  Paoli  desires  the  favour  of  your  company 
next  Tuesday  to  dinner,  to  meet  Dr.  Johnson.  If  I 
can,  I  will  call  on  you  to-day.  I  am,  with  sincere  re- 
gard, 

"Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

"  James  Boswell/'' 
"  South  Aiidley-street,  April  25." 


'  Though  the  Bishop  of  Dromore  kindly  answered  the  letters  which  I  wrote  to 
him,  relative  to  Dr.  Johnson's  early  history  ;  yet,  in  justice  to  him,  I  think  it  proper 
to  add,  that  the  account  of  the  foregoing  conversation,  and  the  subsequent  trans- 
action, as  well  as  of  some  other  conversations  in  which  he  is  mentioned,  has  been 
given  to  the  publick  without  previous  communication  with  his  Lordship. 


END  OF  THE  SECOND  VOLUME 


# 


.^1- 


•  A. 


5^  ?.;  / 


\>-.'M 


"^9; 


«fe 


